


The Wheel Turns

by Shatterpath



Series: Tales of Earthdawn [3]
Category: Earthdawn, Role-Playing Games
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Role-Playing Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-16
Updated: 2014-05-16
Packaged: 2018-01-25 00:48:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 33,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1622990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shatterpath/pseuds/Shatterpath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Years have passed for Kamryn Riverfray and her time in Thera seems lifetimes away.</p><p>This is more of her story and those who become part of her journey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> THE CREW OF _INTREPID_  
>  B'tran, Boatman- first mate  
> T'ris- helmsman, Boatman, Questor of Floranuus  
> Lana- ork engineer, Elementalist, Questor of Upandal  
> H'ree- Boatman  
> Doc- Boatman, Questor of Garlen  
> Eska- boatswain, Archer  
> Nelson- dwarf cook  
> Kamryn Tirastah Morelim Riverfray -elven Warrior (8)-Wizard (6)-Boatman (8)
> 
> THEY TRAVEL BY NIGHT  
> Iyla Tairnghael "Ingle"- elven Beastmaster (9)  
> Taren- her warhorse  
> Frightful- her faithful falcon  
> Selene Nighteyes- elven Illusionist (6) Thief (4)  
> Starfire- her flying carpet  
> Path-of-Stars- human Scout (8)  
> Huff- his huttawa  
> Vladik- t'skrang Troubadour (6) Swordmaster (4)  
> Zoya- his mare
> 
> Years after writing 'Knowing Peace' and 'Finding Peace', I was once again inspired by Kamryn. I used her in actual games and, once my friends and I no longer played Earthdawn, I immortalized some of our characters. Ingle was my first character in this system, and I still have a massive soft spot for her. Path was created later and I ran him for some time as well. Vladik and Selene belonged to dear friends of mine, one of whom has passed away. If you have read the earlier adventures of Kamryn involving her slavery in Thera, I believe this takes place some years later, as she is not with Xanava, nor thinks of her often. No, I don't know why the shift is so obvious. The two tales were written so far apart that details are muddy.
> 
> And, yes, this is the same Ingle from LWM. Wrap your brain around that!

The sudden screech of a large hunting bird startled Captain Kamryn Riverfray into looking up from her scholarly pursuits. An answering cry from the deck directly above sent the woman scrambling for the door. Still at dock at Lake Vors and things sounded as though they were already getting strange. In the passageway, the Intrepid rattled with a roar of approval from what must have been nearly the entire crew. Finally, Riverfray came onto the deck and saw the fading evening sunshine backlighting quite a sight.

There was a tall young fellow with arms stretched up to a bird with a wingspan as wide as a t'skrang was tall. He must have been one of the traveling adventurers who B'tran, the first mate, had sold passage to earlier in the day. Orange twilight flickered as those great wings beat about the man and whipped blonde hair around pointed elven ears. Cruel talons intertwined with the upraised hands with the gentle care of a lover. They cooed at one another as the man carefully rearranged himself so that the bird was perched on an upraised forearm. The savagely hooked beak rubbed tenderly across the man's cheeks and the great wings calmly furled.

Most of the entire crew of the shimoram-- a fast, sleek warship with a deadly ramming head-- sat on the deck in awed quiet at the astonishing communication between Name-giver and wild predator. Silently, Riverfray nudged a crewmember and she inched over so the captain could sit.

Bird and man rearranged themselves so that they were at eye level, communicating in a way that no other living being on the ship could truly understand. And when at last twilight began to truly fade to darkness, they said their farewells. With care and strength, the man launched his feathered companion to the skies. Again, they screeched in harmony as the eagle returned to the jungle that was now merely shadows off anchor. Only when the crowd roared in approval again did the fellow seem to remember he had an audience. White teeth flashed in the smudged face and he bowed deeply before gesturing to his fellow Adepts. The other three came from the crowd to entertain with feats of glibness and quickness and magic. Riverfray barely noticed them, her eye drawn to the man who had called the eagle.

As the crew lit torches and unshielded light crystals, the impromptu party began in earnest. Music was struck up and the assembly began to dance and sing. Between their moving bodies, Riverfray could see the man as he drank and spoke politely with those who approached him. Firelight flickered over the proud features and across his lean frame. There was something compelling about him, something feral and seductive in the way he held himself like a waiting predator.

"Good evening captain. Ale?"

It was T'ris, the canary yellow helmsman, a man with a personality to match his gaudy hide.

"Not tonight," Riverfray chuckled and T'ris set down the spare mug before flopping down beside her. That long tail coiled around her compact body and T'ris snuggled in conspiratorially. 

"Have you met our traveling adventurers? Did you even know we had Adepts on board?"

"I left that in B'tran's capable hands."

She deliberately ignored his admonishing look and continued to watch the enticing stranger. An attractive elven woman with unusual coloring had knelt down next to the man. Whatever the midnight-haired woman said earned a shocked look before the crowd again obscured them. Riverfray tried to focus on what T'ris had been rambling on about.

"…doing the things that Heroes do. What they really need is a good, long vacation at a city that will appreciate them, and what a fantastic show they make of their Disciplines! Take that trick with the eagle for instance, never pictured Beastmasters as the entertaining type…"

Riverfray noticed the lanky legs first because they had no accompanying tail. Even as she glanced up, the elven man crouched down not a double hands breadth from her. The distracting facial marking were revealed as beautifully wrought animal tattoos. Despite her age and rank, Riverfray found herself returning the warm smile.

"Good evening," the tall man purred in Sperethiel-- the complicated and lyrical language of the elves-- with a voice like warm velvet and sunshine. "My Illusionist friend has again pointed out my terrible manners and I'm attempting to prove to her that I'm not the loutish beast she believes me to be."

Both grinned wider at one another while T'ris leaned away in astonishment. Was his stoic captain actually flirting with this handsome stranger? As if in response to his unasked question, Kamryn's body language relaxed and her voice deepened with warmth and good humor. "What horrible breech in manners have you committed that has so offended your Illusionist?"

Pale silver eyes sparkled with humor and a mug was held out with an awkward bow. "I have not introduced myself; I am Ingle, keeper of the Beasts. Would you care to join me for a drink?" 

Such a straightforward, natural charm this one had, like a friendly dog or a flirtatious cat. Riverfray leaned in so that she could speak more quietly to her new companion. "Very pleased to meet you Ingle. I rarely have elven company aboard a t'skrang warship. And yes, I would be delighted to join you."

Small hands wrapped around the offered mug and the soft pad of a finger seemed to accidentally caress a taunt knuckle. That earned a strange look and a shy smile. What an intriguing combination of bold predator and shy prey this Name-Giver was.

"Please, call me Kamryn," the captain told Ingle and shot the openly eavesdropping T'ris such a look that he went scrambling away. They sat and spoke as best as they could over the noise of the crowd. As the night wore on, the crew kept their mugs full and the conversation grew more and more flirtatious. But the mood was suddenly broken as two sets of weaving feet stomped over and Ingle had to pull his legs out of danger so quickly he splashed ale over both of them. It was H'ree and a rugged brown and gold human leaning drunkenly on one another.

With no more warning than a bellowed hello, the human grabbed a half-upraised arm and bodily dragged Ingle into a crushing hug. Patiently, Ingle allowed the embrace and the man shouting friendly sentiments in his face. H'ree laughed until he fell onto his tail and just missed his captain in the process. Instantly, the human set Ingle down and went to the fallen t'skrang. They laughed hard enough to nearly shake the wooden beams of the warship. Riverfray had managed to stand and was helping the amused Ingle stay upright. The feel of warm flesh beneath the travel worn clothing reminded her of what they had been feeling before the interruption.

"What a pair."

Ingle's comment made Kamryn take a closer look at the two men as they regained their feet. They were so different and yet so alike. When she glanced up at her companion, she found the silver eyes regarding her with an unreadable expression.

"Come with me," Kamryn asked in a voice she barely recognized as her own. There was raw need in her tone and barely concealed fear and a hundred other things she was far too disoriented to put name to. Something warm and nearly forgotten was radiating out from where she connected with this fascinating stranger. Long moments passed while Ingle's sharp eyes searched Kamryn's open gaze. Then he craned his head around for a moment until he caught someone's eye and gave a silent nod. That taken care of, Ingle gallantly offered his arm. It only took a moment for Kamryn to accept the offer and she could not help but wonder at the tall man's erratic manners. Probably the pretty Illusionist's doing.

The thick scroll of Wizard spells was exactly as she had left it, partially unrolled on the desk where she had been disturbed by the eagle. Ingle ducked under the low door and smacked the crossbar into place while Kamryn uncovered a larger light crystal than the small one on her desk.

"Well hello handsome," Ingle chuckled in delight when he saw the Bear. The creature disdainfully raised his whiskered face from the bed and flicked an ear. In response, Ingle crouched down and meowed coaxingly to the big ship's cat. Soon the aloof beast was rubbing against Ingle's knees and purring loudly.

"He likes you."

"It's a Talent."

The chuckle in Kamryn's throat died when their eyes met. Intensity flowed from the tall elf like mana from an agitated spell caster. It grabbed her by her long-dormant libido and dragged her to the crouching predator. Silently Kamryn traced the tawny panther forever trapped in mid-leap around Ingle's left eye. Suddenly he reached up to yank Kamryn down by her belt to straddle a bent thigh.

"What do you want from me?"

Heat raced across Riverfray's body as the question was breathed in near silence over her face. Iron-blue eyes slid nearly shut as she felt arousal pulse through her again. Small hands curled into Ingle's heavy green tunic and she slid closer to the lanky body. A moan escaped Riverfray at the feel of that muscled thigh against her.

"I saw you across the deck, wild and free…"

Various emotions played across Ingle's expressive face and strong hands came to rest on Kamryn's hips. Energy crackled back and forth between them. Riverfray leaned in until they were almost touching and watched the wary predator's eyes.

"I knew I wanted to taste that freedom, feel it on my skin like sunlight…"

The kiss just happened. Ingle's lips were cool and shy, the dusky blonde hair warm and silky. Kamryn slid in even closer so their bodies nestled together and she could wrap a strong thigh around Ingle's hips. After a few moments, Ingle relaxed into the kiss and began to respond to the intricate dance they had been performing for one another this night. Kamryn was ever so glad she had forgone armor this night as Ingle's hands began to wander. Curiously, Kamryn touched her exploring tongue to Ingle's lips and was gratified when the larger elf responded. Big hands yanked her crushingly close and a rumbling growl vibrated between them. That thrill of fear and arousal shot through Kamryn again at the sound. Suddenly Ingle yanked his head back and silver eyes stared at Kamryn in what almost looked like panic.

"Wait… wait. Are you sure you want this from me?"

That earned a wry grin as Kamryn dropped her hands to Ingle's shoulders. "And here I thought I was being very inviting."

Hot color rushed up Ingle's throat and cheeks. "What I meant was… I didn't seem your type," Ingle replied in a deceptively calm voice.

"Why? Because you're a Beastmaster?" Kamryn chuckled.

"No, because I'm a woman."

It was obvious that Ingle was expecting rejection. For long moments it even seemed that she might get just that, the way the blue eyes widened. Damn the elven propensity of gender confusion, Kamryn had been so ready for this handsome stranger. Then she realized that none of her arousal had vanished with the unexpected announcement. In fact, it grown hotter and more urgent as it called forth memories of another woman who could play her body so well. Ingle watched in fascination as the blue eyes went from shocked to introspective to dark and smoky with need. Tugging them close enough that their noses were touching, Kamryn growled soft words across Ingle's lips.

"Stay with me… please… I promise to be worth your while."

Had she ever needed something this badly before? Kisses distracted them both for long moments until Ingle finally half-stood and stumbled heavily to the edge of the big bed shelf.

Forcefully, Kamryn shoved Ingle flat on the bed and pleaded with tiny kisses across nose and brow.

"Stay… I'm begging you..."

"Yes, lovely one, I'll stay. Go cat, there are vermin in the hold that await your teeth and claws. Tonight, I will keep your mistress warm."

And with a mildly annoyed look, the Bear did as the Beastmaster asked of him. Ingle grabbed handfuls of the captain's glorious auburn hair and yanked her into a rough kiss. Wordlessly, Kamryn hummed her need and fear and instantly Ingle gentled. There was the taut slide of cloth on skin as Ingle pulled Kamryn's colorful shirt loose from the trousers and caressed the warm flesh beneath. That earned a sharp nip at a lower lip and Ingle growled like an angry bear. With a sinuous twist, Kamryn found herself trapped by that eager body and getting very efficiently stripped. At last she was let up for air as the shirt was pulled over her head.

"Do what you will to me, eager beast… do what you will…"

Ingle raised her head up to meet Kamryn's eyes and something almost dangerous glittered in their pale depths. The hand drawing the shirt away from her wrists paused and clamped them to the bed. Never releasing those wide blue eyes, Ingle began to trace her free hand over the hills and valleys of Kamryn's warm body.

"Eager, lovely captain? Yesss…"

The hissed word froze Kamryn like a helpless animal trapped by a hungry jungle cat. Passions, she was compelling in her predatory fierceness! Fingers were rough and gentle as Ingle explored the curve of breast, the slope of ribs, the scarred crescent that the sword had left in her side. All the while she breathed almost silent seductive words in Sperethiel to her enraptured prey.

"You looked at me from across the deck and the past and future in your eyes was a clarion call I could not resist." Calloused fingers tugged at the heavy belt around Kamryn's waist and Ingle smiled at the high-pitched, needy whine the small woman made. "Soon, very soon, I will chase you across the fields of your desire and swim in the waters of your need. Sing for me, my lover…"

Kamryn arched up and kissed her tormentor hard enough to bring up the faint coppery taste of blood. That teasing hand slithered across the flat abdomen and sensitive inner thigh. Kamryn groaned her frustration at the layers of blue and green cloth separating their skins. With a smile, Ingle's mouth began to retrace the route her hand had already made.

"Pas… Passions Ingle… please… please…"

Realizing that perhaps she had teased long enough, Ingle timed the rocking thrust of Kamryn's hips and yanked the trousers to the tops of the tall boots. The analytical Wizard part of her brain pondered the unique sensation of being made love to with two of her Threaded Items still on her body. Boots and medallion sang harmony with her True Pattern against the slightly fainter feel of sword and armor and net and shield. The rest of her Pattern was capable only of responding to the Beastmaster's loving. Strong fingers grew bolder and more intimate and Kamryn could only stare helplessly into feral eyes almost colorless in their intensity. Ingle rose above her and released the trapped wrists. Tearing her hands from the constricting shirt, Kamryn grabbed the front of Ingle's tunic and let the Beastmaster take her where she would. Reality turned to a blazing conflagration with only those burning silver eyes to bring her home.

Perhaps she had blacked out. Certainly she had been too swept away by her passion to notice anything for some time. It took the boots being gently tugged away to bring Kamryn back to herself.

"Better for some satisfaction?" Ingle chuckled to alleviate some of the embarrassment she saw in Kamryn's eyes.

"I'm not normally so… needy."

The gentle smile and even gentler kiss reassured her battered soul.

"There's no shame in need, Kamryn. You were beautiful and passionate and free. Is that not what you wanted?"

There was the oddest mixture of absolute sincerity and teasing humor in those unforgettable stormy silver eyes. Too long it had been since someone had looked at her like this, cradled her so carefully and made her feel so… loved. With a hoarse sound of gratitude, Kamryn yanked Ingle bodily into a hug that made the Beastmaster nearly choke from the strength of it.

"Thank you."

"You are most welcome, my lovely one. You need to be spoiled and loved now and again. Name-givers are social beasts, and I suspect you hold yourself too much apart."

"For someone I have only just met, you seem to know me quite well."

"There is more to learn from the animals than only the obvious."

They smiled at one another, foreheads touching and bodies intertwined. Looks turned to kisses and Kamryn was astonished to find the heat building up in her again. Kisses turned to caresses; she fumbled with the loose ties at Ingle's throat, dimly noticing the dark stripes bracketing the ridged windpipe. 

"Let me…"

Kamryn could only object wordlessly at her lover's selflessness and give in once again. Warm lips trailed over chin and throat on their way downward until Kamryn's belly grew taut with anticipation.

"I have already touched upon the depths of your need," Ingle hummed softly as she painted teasing caresses across Kamryn's skin. "Now I wish to taste…"

Again sanity vanished as she indeed tasted, drawing Kamryn's long-withheld passion from her like a shattering flash flood.

 

++

 

This morn the waking was different. No Bear prickling at her with sharp claws to be fed, no shouts of alarm, no bells or storms or danger. Only soft skin and firm muscles cradling her warm and safe in a glorious haven she had rarely known. All was right with the world, no memories darkening her mind's eye, no pain in body or soul. It would pass certainly, but for now Kamryn raised herself to an elbow and studied the enigma that had captivated her so. Sprawled inelegantly across the suddenly too-small bed, Ingle was every shade of gold in the morning sunlight stealing across the room. At some point, the Beastmaster's shirt had come completely unlaced and Kamryn stared at the tapestry drawn in her skin. Shadowed stripes of the tiger ran from ears to collarbones with the points bracketing her windpipe like bared teeth. A regal cat sat sentinel beneath the sharp slope of the left collarbone, facing a rearing stallion. All of them were careful collections of tiny scars drawn in the colors of the natural world; grays and greens and browns that complimented her rich skin tones of cream and freshly baked biscuits. As though sensing the appraisal, Ingle shifted lazily in her sleep and her head turned as though seeking her bedmate's warmth. Kamryn held her breath and hoped she would continue to sleep just a bit longer. With a soft sigh, Ingle did just that. The tawny panther curled in twisting mid-leap around her left eye was astonishingly life-like. Almost as though Ingle had seen the beast and forever trapped the image there. A faint shadow of it was carefully scarred around the image and matched the tiny spots radiating out from the corner of the right eye. She was like nothing Kamryn had ever known.

Gently, carefully, Kamryn leaned down to nuzzle into the sun and shadow hair, trailing a curious hand lightly over the flat belly and the admired tattoos. Almost reluctantly, Ingle stirred and moaned softly. The colorful scarring was slightly rough, like blood pebble armor implanted beneath the skin. Teasing kisses near a sensitive ear finally drew Ingle from sleep.

"Good morn, lover," Kamryn purred softly and earned the growling sound she was rapidly learning to love. Breath caught as that adventuring mouth drew closer to delicately pointed ears hidden within the ragged blonde hair. 

"Good morn indeed. Sleep well?"

"Better than I have in years. Thank you."

"My pleasure. I believe I have not slept so soundly in a very long time myself. Have you been long awake?"

"Long enough."

The kiss ended conversation in deference to other pursuits and quickly Ingle was ragged with need. There was a kind of wordless desperation in her clear eyes that Kamryn was humbled by. It contrasted sharply with the raw pain there, a thin veneer over fear and helplessness that was far too new to have faded with time. What had the four adventurers seen and done? What awful thing had put such dark shadows in those lovely eyes? One day she would ask, but not now, not here. Now Ingle needed loving and a chance to turn away from that darkness, if only for a little while.

It was easy, making love to the lanky Beastmaster. She was coy and ferocious, submissive and demanding by turns. Soon she cried out from the pleasure of Kamryn's coaxing mouth and hands, shuddering and whimpering. They lay tangled together in the bed and rested in the filtered sunlight. Kamryn enjoyed the closeness and ran soothing hands over Ingle's cooling skin beneath the loose shirt. Furrowed stripes traced an uneven pattern down the lanky back and thighs from neck to knees. More stories, more scars, more questions that would have to await answers.

"They tried to break me," Ingle said quietly as she caught Kamryn's restless gaze with her own. Surprise must have registered in the blue depths because Ingle smiled and kissed her lightly. "It was a Horror cult deep in the Caucavic Mountains. I was fool enough to be traveling alone after leaving my first adventuring group. Fortunately, Vladik saw fit to rescue me from a fate surely worse than death."

She was matter-of-fact about it, silver eyes guileless. All Kamryn could do was trace loving fingers over the scars left there by a beating she could barely comprehend the magnitude of. To scar an Adept so horribly… The whipping must have flayed her nearly to the bone and been utterly tireless for her body to have not healed the damage better than the marks spoke of. For a long moment Kamryn did not realize that Ingle's hand had come to rest on the curve of her ribs.

"What about you?"

Startled, Kamryn jerked away from Ingle's touch on the crescent scar on her ribs. Ingle made no move to follow, only watched with those fathomless silver eyes. Kamryn knew she was being unfair, but years of carefully cultivated isolation fell into place like the precise calculations that governed her Wizardry. A shudder ran through her small frame and Ingle wrapped herself around that place of weakness and hummed comfortingly.

Only once had Kamryn let that hurt loose.

Only once.

It had taken over a decade for the Shivalahala V'strimon to crack the shell of utter confidence Kamryn had built around that pain. But the Shivalahala's persistence had paid off in time and the pain had finally poured from her like floodwaters. Sobbing, crying, begging, it rushed through her until there was nothing but raw stillness and the t'skrang's comforting strength. It had been a very long time until she had leaned away from the Shivalahala's embrace.

Now it unexpectedly broke loose again.

She had forgotten with the passage of time that the memories could burn like this, in awe of the agony inside her. It was as clear a century later as the day it had happened, when she had looked into her father's eyes and saw only a monster looking back at her. When she had taken the ancient crystal sword in between her own ribs to wrest it from his grip. When his crimson lifeblood had washed over her own hands and he smiled in relief from the evil thing inside him. When that creature of nightmares had screamed and clawed its way free of the old elf's body and she slew it with the power of his dying wish…

Like an infected wound, the old pains burst open and all Ingle could do was hold her lover and pray to whatever Passions were listening. Mana sparked and crackled in the small room, the steady thrum of the fire engine blanketing the agony of its captain. Babbling, nearly incoherent, Kamryn was out of control as the torrent blinded and deafened her.

She relived scratching her father's True Name into the crystal blade with blood and ichor-stained hands. Only his years of persistence about his daughter learning his beloved Discipline had slain the Horror that had corrupted him. Only his strength had given her the strength to kill him and the monster both…

When Kamryn woke again, she was emotionally scraped raw to the core. And yet, in the midst of the pounding agony, there was a stillness, a quiet, a calm. Within the haven of her young lover's arms Kamryn felt the stirrings of something she never thought she would feel.

She began to heal.


	2. Chapter 2

Time passed in warm quiet for the two elves. Neither spoke, but merely drank in the sounds of life going on around them. Closely twined about one another, they were each lost to their own thoughts. At some point the Bear must have snuck in because Kamryn found her nose buried in his ruff.

What had happened? Had she so utterly lost control with this complete stranger? The entire situation had such an unreal quality to it that Kamryn felt as though she was going to wake from the dream any time now. There was only Bear's thick fur, Ingle's warm embrace and the dull ache in her own soul. This time the pain would not allow itself to be boxed away in some corner of her mind. It would not tolerate justification and classification. It simply was and she would need to find a way to deal with it.

Finally mundane reality asserted itself when Kamryn's stomach growled. Much to her astonishment, laughter bubbled up at the sound. Ingle's expression of head-cocked puzzlement only made her laugh harder. It felt wonderful, the merriment chasing away the lingering shadows in her mind's eye. Eventually she wound down and lay quietly in the Beastmaster's embrace.

"You've been keeping that in for a long time."

Not a question, but a statement. A kiss on the soft underside of her jaw was the only comment for a long time. At last Kamryn spoke in a small voice.

"Something about you Ingle. There's something about you that makes me feel safe. I don't understand it, but I'm very glad I met you."

"The feeling is mutual."

More time passed while they lay together and found their earlier comfort with each other, Kamryn sprawled lazily across Ingle's larger frame with a purring Bear beside them. With her ear pressed to Ingle's strong heart, Kamryn lightly traced the animal patterns on pale skin.

"What are these?"

"Hmm? Oh, a unique Beastmaster Talent called Enduring Art. They allow the wearer to be faster, more attentive, more charismatic, whatever. But they are damaging to the bearer and draining to use."

"Fascinating, I've never heard of it."

Ingle huffed in amusement and teased, "well, what kind of Wizard are you?"

Full of mock indignation, Kamryn propped herself up on her elbows and glowered down into laughing silver eyes.

"I happen to be a very accomplished Wizard. How did you know?"

"That grimore of yours on the desk. Symbols of such precision and logic could only belong to a Wizard."

"You don't miss much do you?"

"No, I don't. Vladik and Selene tell me I would make a fine Troubadour if I weren't so frightening looking."

Chuckling, Kamryn kissed her young lover and batted her eyelashes coyly.

"So what else have you figured out, oh observant one?"

"You have calluses from wielding a variety of weapons, but the wrong personality for a Swordmaster. Don't scowl so, I guessed you as Warrior. Yes, I see that I'm right. Obviously you must be Boatman, or you wouldn't be captain to a shipfull of t'skrang, and that might explain the other calluses on your hands."

"They're from the clingor ropes."

"Eh?"

"Haven't you seen the crew do it? Swing from deck to deck? Over the water?"

"Oh, that. It seems like a dangerous and inefficient means of traveling."

"Jik'harra."

"What?" It was obvious that Ingle had no comprehension of the t'skrang word.

"It literally means 'brave passion'. Or perhaps 'courageous heart'. By facing one's fear head on and emerging triumphant, one lives according to jik'harra."

Again Ingle was smiling, only this time the expression was soft and loving. "Then you must live up to the ideals of jik'harra admirably, my brave heart."

Flustered by the flattery, Kamryn laid her head back down and took strength from the steady heartbeat. "Sometimes I wonder…"

Immediately, long arms wrapped around her and she found herself rolled over to lie trapped beneath Ingle's much greater weight. The loving silver eyes were serious and intent. "With all you have survived and accomplished? You still have doubts of your courageous heart? You have powerful depths to draw upon, I can see it your eyes. Even knowing you for merely a night, I admire that in you."

Kamryn could only embrace her back and wallow in the warmth of that regard.

Their idyll ended when hunger at last drove them back into clothes and away from the stuffy room. Ingle utterly disregarded the speculative looks of the crew as they moved through the ship, far more concerned about not knocking herself senseless on the low support beams. When they entered the mess hall a voice called out. "Ingle! Over here!"

Grabbing Kamryn by the hand, the Beastmaster made her way to the rest of her adventuring party. Self-consciously, Kamryn allowed herself to be seated beside her new lover and met a pair of curious purple eyes belonging to a t'skrang she had never met before.

"Late morning, hmmm?" The dark-haired elf earned a glare for her dry comment and the blonde human just chuckled.

"Some of us needed to catch up on sleep."

At Ingle's calm comment they all laughed and Kamryn's discomfort grew. A crewman set down two bowls and a plate of bread and butter before grinning at his captain and moving away. She kicked him lightly in the tail, her only recourse since she did not have that handy appendage. He continued on with not so much as a glance back. Well, there was certainly no secret what she had been doing with the handsome woman at her side! A comforting hand curled lightly around her inner thigh and Kamryn jumped. Soft silver eyes met hers and all was suddenly right with the world. After a few soothing bites of stew, Kamryn was introduced to Ingle's companions. Selene Nighteyes was the Illusionist and Thief with the midnight hair and moonlit skin, Path-of-Stars the mirthful Scout and Vladik Songsmith the purple-eyed Troubadour and Swordmaster who was all the colors of House V'strimon. They were polite and curious and the same recent terror lurked in their gazes. No one spoke much as they ate in a comfortable quiet surrounded by the babble of the _Intrepid's_ crew. It was Path that spoke once most of the group had finished their meal.

"So after House V'strimon, what then?"

All eyes turned to Ingle, who paused with spoon halfway back to her bowl. A scowl crossed her face before her eyes turned thoughtful. Finally she smiled and shrugged uncaringly. "Trouble or destiny will find us soon enough. And you, Scout," the group laughed as she gestured at him with the spoon, "will lead the way."

He bowed his pale head in response and the group set about discussing their plans for visiting the floating island. Suddenly they were just young, eager Name-givers on the way to visit a new city. Not hardened Adepts escaping trouble for a precious short time. Had Kamryn ever been like that? No, she had always been far too serious and withdrawn for her own good. Until this mysterious Beastmaster had appeared in her life. Perhaps the Shivalahala had indeed been correct; it was time for a change. Ingle seemed a bit taken aback when Kamryn returned the earlier caress to long thigh muscles.

"When we arrive at the island, I myself will show you House V'strimon."

The private glance shared between them was unmistakable. Two nearby crewmen looked askance at the exchange and Vladik stared them down. Then he turned his considerable charm to the good captain. "Does that invitation extend to all of us captain?"

"Of course, Vladik. After the _Intrepid_ is taken care of, I am at your disposal. Now if you will all excuse me, I have duties I must attend to."

There were murmured farewells that the women never heard. A long, soulful look passed between the elven lovers, only their gazes touching. Then Ingle gently stroked Kamryn's hand that rested on the table and that loving gesture allowed the captain to walk away.

 

++

 

By the time Kamryn changed clothes and went to the deck of the _Intrepid's_ , they were already halfway across Lake Ban. Fire engines pulsed powerfully through the swift ship and echoed up through Riverfray's soles. The powerful Threads woven between her and the fast ship hummed quietly through her True Pattern. How she loved this vessel and all they had been through together. How she loved the hundreds of energetic t'skrang she had served with over the years. How she was going to miss them all. But there was no mistaking the pull of change in her heart. In less than a week the Shivalahala's deadline would be upon her. A year and a day Kamryn had been given to figure out what she wanted. Until the appearance of the silver-eyed stranger that decision had been easy.

Far too easy.

She would need to be strong these next few days and she prayed that Ingle was everything she hoped for. So for the last time, Kamryn Riverfray steered the shimoram _Intrepid's_ past the great jagged thorns of the refselenika, the deadly and complicated maze of True Water spines. They had been in place since the Scourge, protecting the floating Island of Everliving Reeds. With many decades of experience, she skirted past the refselenika and settled the compact warship into her appointed dock. This final time was both exhilarating and sad.

Ingle, Selene and Path watched the proceedings from a corner near some piled rigging while their t'skrang companion was lost in the seething crowd. Wind rippled through blonde hair and black, distracting to the captain because she so seldom saw that particular movement. T'skrang had no hair at all; her own long mane was an ongoing curiosity that she kept so dangerously long for exactly that reason. Again those warm feelings grew thick and full within Kamryn's breast as she watched her young lover.

Shouts of greeting were exchanged as Intrepid slid into berth and clingor ropes began to fly back and forth. For a brief moment, the lover's eyes met in the chaos before they were dragged away to other duties.

And so the afternoon passed.

Things were nearly finished when a sudden animal screech made everyone look up. There was a small falcon with colorful tethers on its legs circling the _Intrepid's_ urgently.

"What is that thing doing?"

Ignoring the question, Riverfray suddenly remembered Ingle raising her arms to the great eagle from the jungle. When she did the same, the bird dropped to her like a stone. It fluttered agitatedly, clawing at the air near the bare hands until Kamryn realized what it wanted. The moment she bent her arm the little beast gratefully latched onto her armored forearm and began to chirp and coo as though speaking. 

"Wow," H'ree breathed in amazement as they together admired the bold falcon. Hesitantly, Kamryn released the tiny roll of paper tied to the bird's leg as it fluffed up for a moment before settling in. By the way it was panting; it had been circling the boat for some time. On the paper was a note in a small, neat hand.

'You were so busy that we went to find a place to eat. We settled on the Blue Sail. Your messenger's Name is Frightful. Miss you. -Ingle'

"Well Frightful," Kamryn found herself grinning idiotically at the cooing bird, "shall we go join your mistress?"

H'ree could only stare.

After sending one of the youngsters below decks for the things she must not be without, Kamryn set off. All this time she cradled the arm supporting Frightful close to her chest. The crew openly ogled the bold creature and wondered at their captain's sudden power over it. House V'strimon was bustling with t'skrang and more than once Kamryn was forced to deflect a careless tail from the peaceful falcon. She had forgotten how close the Earth festivals had grown. In time she spotted the blue boat and its comically gigantic sail painted on a yellow sign.

"Well, at least your Name-Giver companions have good taste," Kamryn chuckled and Frightful warbled back. It was a trisnari, an inn that served only food and one of the more famous establishments of its kind. When Kamryn experimentally raised her arm to eye level, Frightful obediently hopped to her shoulder and settled in beside her ear. There was a slight pressure where the long talons dug in, but the bird was far too light to feel otherwise.

"Pretty and intelligent," Kamryn flattered the bird; "I like you."

Taking a deep lungful of the delicious aromas coming from the trisnari, Kamryn strode in. Almost immediately, a uniformed youth bustled up and grinned at her.

"Ah, here you are, captain. Your party is in the back. Please follow me."

This was even better service than she had grown accustomed to at the Blue Sail. Then again, the floating island of House V'strimon did not get the kind of Adept traffic that most major cities did. Through an archway past the busy kitchens, where she could not resist a pause to smell the incredible fragrance, she heard Vladik's voice.

"…remember the looks on their faces? Priceless!"

Laughter erupted and Frightful gave an alarmed cry. All eyes shifted to the door and wary gazes warmed when they recognized her. Before the waiter could duck away, she gave him her order for food and went to the table. Already, Frightful was chattering animatedly to the smiling Beastmaster. She stood up to ruffle the brown feathers before letting her knuckles trail over Kamryn's high cheekbone. For an endless moment the jaded old elf was utterly unaware of anything but her magnetic companion. At last she managed to speak, and her already smoky voice was rough with emotion. "Thank you for the unexpected guide."

"Our pleasure. She likes to show off."

At a silent command from the Beastmaster, Frightful hopped to the back of the chair and Ingle graciously took Kamryn's blue and purple cloak. Five pairs of eyes widened at the unique spectacle that the captain wore beneath the concealing folds.

"My, my, the stories I will tell," Vladik chuckled and Kamryn smiled shyly. Tiny whitecaps seemed to ripple through the hundreds of overlapping ocean blue crystal scales from neck to knee in a never-repeating pattern. _Mearathaia Keroelle_ , her ancestral sword, peeked its clear crystal hilt over her shoulder and glittered like diamond in the light.

"It's Elemental Water Armor, the only suit ever created for a Name-Giver with no tail. The Shivalahala gifted it to me when I became arapagoinya." Obviously, the word meant nothing to them. "It means that I am a member of the central foundation of House V'strimon."

"Oh my, my, my, the stories indeed," Vladik chortled with the gleam of Chorrolis-- the Passion of Wealth and Desire-- in his eye. Laughter again filled the room and Ingle drew out Kamryn's chair so that she could sit. While they continued to chat among themselves, Kamryn took a closer look at them as individuals. Selene had tucked her legs up beneath her and was leaning her dark head casually on Path-of-Stars' shoulder. Beside them, Vladik chattered animatedly at the group as a whole. All of them wore fine armor and bore weapons and gear of excellent craftsmanship, though they showed the marks of hard use. After the serving lad brought her meal, Kamryn watched her quiet lover from the corner of her eye. Eventually, they drifted into a peaceful quiet as the Floating Island settled into darkness and soft music sang from the lyre Vladik had taken from his gear.

Lulled by the mood of the group, Kamryn found herself leaning lightly against Ingle and was grateful there were no arms on the chairs. It took her a long moment to realize that the tall woman had begun humming along softly. Vladik changed tunes and began singing in a soothing tenor a tale of love lost and found. Gentle darkness closed about the tired Warrior as she heard Ingle's sweet alto join in to sing her to sleep.

Ingle jumped in surprise when Kamryn lashed out to grab her with the strength of a drowning woman. A harsh sound of fear rushed past her ear and earned a soft purr of comfort. This one's trauma ran deeper than the young Beastmaster had initially thought; much like a fine horse beaten and terrorized for many years. Only a moment passed before Kamryn came to herself and again made a strangled noise. Understanding this was both fear and embarrassment; Ingle tightened her embrace and stroked the soft, thick hair. After a questioning look, the others filed out to give the new lovers some privacy. Old pains finally receded and Kamryn sagged into her companion.

"Oh Passions… Now that I've let all these memories loose, they seemed determined to drive me mad."

"Patience, patience. They haven't broken you before and they won't break you now."

After a few minutes of comfort Kamryn leaned away and kissed Ingle. "You truly are a blessing."

That earned a shy smile.

In the alley behind the trisnari waited a great gray horse a good head taller than Kamryn in the withers. Beside him sat an enormous golden yellow dog that watched all of this activity with head-cocked curiosity. The body language was so like Ingle's that Kamryn was forced to smile. Immediately, the dog's tail began to wag. Cautiously, the horse reached out a fine head to sniff but paused when the Warrior recoiled nervously.

"Kamryn, this is Taren. Don't let his size fool you; he's a big pussycat unless something gets his ire up. That's Serulos over there. Come over here girl, and say hello."

Sensitive nostrils flared as both stallion and dog took in the newcomer's scent. She smelled of the water and nerves and their master, just as the master smelled of her. With a snort, Taren accepted the stranger's presence and moved to greet his favorite Name-giver. Serulos hesitantly approached the Warrior and whined softly to coax the nervous woman into ease. It worked as she warily reached out to stroke silky gold ears and Serulos leaned into the caress.

"What a silly name for such a nice animal," Kamryn half mused to herself and half to the dog. A hail broke the quiet of the evening.

"Greetings heroes! Fine night to be out and about, but an even finer night for a good night's sleep."

Vladik had cantered up on the back of a pretty chestnut mare trimmed in black. Behind him was Path and Selene on a strange creature that Riverfray had seen only a few times. It was an enormous huttawa, with the body of a lion and a majestic eagle's head.

"Agreed," Ingle chuckled and vaulted to Taren's back. "Come Kamryn Riverfray, let us give you a ride. Did I not promise I would allow no harm to come to you?"

The others stifled laughter and tried not to roll their eyes at the blatant flirting.

"Ingle, send Frightful with me and we'll send her back to you with our inn's name when we find it." Vladik's expression was utterly deadpan when Ingle fired him a sharp look. Illusionist and Scout instantly mimicked the expression. For a moment Ingle's expression took on that odd unfocused quality that meant she was silently communicating to one of the creatures she influenced. Frightful chirped and launched herself from Riverfray's shoulder and caused the woman to jump. After the falcon settled herself, the Adventurers bid a solemn goodnight to Warrior and Beastmaster as they moved into the darkness. Kamryn watched them until a familiar hand entered her vision. Again she startled and watched a slight grin curl Ingle's sensual mouth.

"Don't like horses, hmmm?"

There was a quick shake of the auburn hair and Taren nickered coaxingly. Despite her nervousness, Kamryn was oddly charmed by the gesture, particularly when Serulos pushed up against her hand to add impact to the horse's statement.

"I've little chance to interact with them," she admitted reluctantly. "At least not in some time." There was more to that statement and Ingle knew it, but now was not the time to pry. With an effortless twist of her body, Ingle dropped down beside her companion.

"Very well, do we walk or ride?"

"You don't mind walking? Where I live is not far from here. But I have no place to stable your horse, and I'd hate the locals to bother him."

"We could catch up with the others."

"Very well."

So they walked in silence with horse and dog trailing docile behind. There was lingering activity this late but it did not interfere with them. Soon Frightful arrived to lead them the others. In time, they came to a large building made of what appeared to be entirely everliving reeds.

"Wow," Ingle breathed in Throalic, the primary language of Barsaive. A smile tugged up the corners of Kamryn's mouth at her lover's wonder.

"Come, I'm sure the proprietor can find space for two more."

There was a courtyard where Ingle expertly negotiated with a youngling t'skrang getting to the age of kaissa. When the adolescent became a bit too pushy, Kamryn scared it into submission with a practiced glare. The side building that served as stables to the very rare traveler with traveling beasts was small but adequate and inside, Kamryn recognized the russet mare and the big huttawa. They greeted both Beastmaster and beasts in a friendly manner and the small herd settled. Off came the heavy saddlebags and over Ingle's shoulder. She tossed aside the thick rolls of bedding and barding before removing the saddle and left the whole collection where Taren and Serulos could guard it.

Hesitantly, Kamryn patted the horse's nose as Ingle removed his halter.

"Goodnight Taren. Sleep well. You too Serulos."

There was no mistaking Ingle's fond smile even in the darkness. The proprietor was a sleepy old fellow just inside the door who curtly took their money and waved a hovering youth into helping the two women. Inside the big building, was a maze of twisting corridors, small courtyards and climbing surfaces ranging from dangling ropes to heavy iron bars mounted horizontally in the walls. With the ease of long practice, Kamryn wove her way through the chaos after the silent youth. There was no doubt in Ingle's mind that she would need her Tracking Talent to find her way out of this place. They passed rope ladders and heavy nets strung between the first floor and second until they came to a staircase.

"There are some days when I will climb the ropes to save the back tracking that stairs usually entail," Kamryn grinned at her companion and was rewarded with a smile in return. "Tonight I must confess I am not up to it."

"Wherever you lead, my lady."

What an accomplished flirt this young one could be when she put her mind to it. Even the t'skrang youth seemed amused and Kamryn was surprised he had understood the Sperethiel words. At last they came to a door that looked like a hundred others in this wing. Except for the copper plate with a 47 etched into it nailed onto its surface. The boy unlocked the door before handing the key to Kamryn. Inside he made a beeline for the hearth and soon had a fire going.

"Is there anything you require?"

"I need a message left for my companions. They don't realize I'm here."

"Certainly. The elf and human that came in earlier with a Troubadour t'skrang?"

"Yes."

"Consider it done."

The gold piece negligently tossed his way silently ensured that it would indeed get done. Wishing them a heartfelt goodnight, the young man left them alone.

"Make yourself at home."

There was a slight discomfort in Kamryn's low voice that earned a quick brush of cheeks from the Beastmaster before she began exploring the rooms. There was a separate bedroom and a water closet with a good-sized bathtub. A small fire was easy to build in the brazier at the foot of the big bed and quickly began warming the cool room.

Suddenly, Ingle found herself sitting on the edge of the bed and staring helplessly at the open door. What was she doing here with this wounded woman who contrasted so drastically from strong to shattered? What was she getting herself into? Then she remembered those fascinating eyes like deep blue sky reflected on polished steel. A range of expression danced in those depths as poetic as any Troubadour's song. Warmth suffused Ingle as she thought about her fierce and vulnerable lover. Now was the time to reveal the secrets wrapped around her forearms, for she could no longer hide under her shirt and remain honest with her lover.

"Kamryn?"

The voice was soft and sensual, running up her spine like a caress. When she turned she was captivated by the sight of Ingle lounging in the bedroom doorway with feline grace. Clad in only pants and an unlaced shirt she smiled seductively. Her care chased away Kamryn's demons yet again and the older woman left her musing of the crackling fire to go to her. They kissed tenderly for long moments and then just held one another for even longer.

"If you bank the fire, I'll draw a bath." Kamryn offered, but paused at the strange look in Ingle's silver eyes.

"You may have gathered that my companions and I have been through something… traumatic." Ingle's voice was strained, and the shadows in her eyes were sharp and bitter. "I don't dare speak frankly of what happened, not yet. But I promise to return the gift of your trust when it's safe. I promise."

Moved by the pain and intensity in Ingle's words, Kamryn stroked her upper arms gently. "I accept that, Ingle. Does this have anything to do with the rough patches on your lower arms?" Startled by the accurate guess, Ingle could only nod. "I noticed that you deliberately kept your shirt covering your arms, but had no problems with nudity." A tug brought Ingle's head down for a long, slow kiss. "I trust you," Kamryn breathed into the soft haven of her mouth. "Please trust me in return." Another long moment passed and suddenly Ingle shrugged the light shirt off. Kamryn let her hands follow the material as it fell away from warm flesh, and marveled at the strange sensations beneath the sensitive touch. "I will not betray you," she swore solemnly and waited for Ingle's eyes to clear a bit before looking down.

And was breathless at the strange spectacle. The tattoos and smooth curves stood stark contrast to the metal bracers wrapped like a second skin around her forearms. They ran from wrist to where the muscles grew thick, the material silvery and delicately veined with tiny lines of inky black. The pattern was reminiscent of zebras, a rare and exotic creature even in Thera…

That train of thought was immediately quashed. There were rough ovals on the outside of the bracers, a delicate filigree of gold, silver and orichalcum. But it was the left one that was truly extraordinary. Kamryn took Ingle's hand, drawing it towards her to get a better look at the Item. She paused, but a glance into Ingle's eyes reassured her that the boldness was acceptable. A moment of intense concentration and a surge of mana activated the spellcaster's Astral Sight, enabling her to see the Item in its true glory. There was a kernel of each True Element mounted within the filigree oval, each of them miraculously, impossibly, wondrously carved into a faceted gemstone. She was a Wizard and had no clue that the shaping kernels in this manner was even possible. These were the work of a master.

Darkness clung to the Items like a fog.

There was a brutal and dark story here.

"These are beautiful," Kamryn admired, tracing the Pattern of the mana pulsing within the Items with a fingertip, watching the two Patterns ripple against one another like the colorful winter's sky-fire. "And I'm gathering that they don't come off?"

"Not easily," Ingle agreed, relieved at her lover's discretion. "How about that bath?"

Kamryn forced herself to stop caressing the fantastic bracers and kissed her lover again. Backing Ingle into the bedroom, Kamryn playfully pushed the tall woman onto the soft surface. Smiling enigmatically, Ingle watched as Kamryn divested herself of the bulky gear. The intent gaze was both arousing and making her unaccountably shy. Those pale eyes darkened in reaction as the small hands grew more and more provocative, drawing loose the heavy laces on the extraordinary scale armor to slide it away from the wrinkled cloth beneath. It was rewarding to strip tease for the young woman and witness her growing arousal battle with the tiredness that was becoming harder to hide.

"Ingle, you are exhausted. Come to the bath."

With no more objection than a sharp look, she did as she was told. Quickly, Kamryn finished stripping them both and kept Ingle's wandering attention with sporadic kisses. Lastly, she filled the tub, noting the curiosity in silver eyes.

"How is the water so hot? I can actually see it steam and it's not that cold in this room."

"Must be tanks lined in True Fire and True Water like the ones in the Foundation House. Hot and cold water is pumped through pipes to the whole of the building with only its own weight to propel it."

"Fascinating."

It did not take long for the warm water to lull Ingle into a stupor and Kamryn had to poke at her to keep her conscious. She made no sound when the smaller woman washed her sunshine hair before shooing her off to bed. By the time Kamryn finished caring for her own expansive mane, Ingle was sprawled across the bed sound asleep. So she curled along the curve of the long body and sent a quick prayer to the Passions for the unexpected gift of the young Beastmaster, before she too slept.


	3. Chapter 3

"Shivalahala? Are you here?"

Warm morning sun filtered through the spacious rooms. There did not seem to be any other Name-givers here except for Kamryn. She was still feeling a little odd about leaving Ingle that morning and when the familiar voice called out she jumped almost guiltily.

"Kamryn? Come in my dear. Tea?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful."

"How was this last stint on the river?"

There were the sounds of activity in the nearby kitchen so Kamryn wandered over. So many years had passed since she had felt awkward here that the sensation was rattling.

"Uneventful and yet surprising."

"Oh?" Tray in hand, the old Shivalahala bustled past her elven friend and made herself comfortable at the low table and couch. "Kamryn? Are you all right? Come sit."

Shaking herself out, Kamryn hesitantly did as she was asked. Long moments passed in a comfortable and oddly tense quiet while the old t'skrang just waited for the flood. It began as a trickle, but a startling one.

"I'm leaving," Kamryn whispered while she stared sightlessly at her clenched hands. This was so difficult and her voice reflected that. When she finally screwed up enough courage to look up, she could not make out the Shivalahala's expression for the tears in her eyes. Then the floodgates opened. "I don't want to go, but I have to. Until just a few days ago I had no intentions of leaving, but then I realized that I was being a coward. All these years have passed and I've never wandered, never explored just for the sake of doing it. And suddenly that's all I can think of, the need to go… But I don't want to; I love this place, these people, you, my ship… Oh Passions, this is so hard."

A sad smile quirked the Shivalahala's long mouth and she leaned over to touch the shaking elf. That affection broke the tears loose and suddenly Kamryn was in her arms, sobbing like a child.

"There, there dear. I don't love you any less for your decision. Truly, I don't. You've been one of my dearest friends for more years than anyone on this island can comprehend."

As quickly as it had come, the emotional storm passed. Neither moved from their comfortable embrace as the Shivalahala continued to speak in a soft voice.

"Eighty-seven years ago you came to us. An enemy by your pointed ears and yet your fascination with our beloved Shivoam shone in your eyes. Patience and respect won you a place among us and I have never regretted that decision. If you need to move on, I will happily give you my blessing." A taloned hand gently tilted Kamryn's chin up to see misty green eyes. "But I will miss you."

Together they cried for the end of one era and the beginning of another. The tea had grown cold and they made a fresh batch before settling down to talk again.

"So tell me Kam, what prompted this change of heart?"

"Many things, not the least of which is the damned elven propensity to up and change the flow of their destiny."

"Ah yes, your Draesis ti'Morel."

That earned a sharp look, for the Shivalahala knew perfectly well that Kamryn did not follow the ancient elven beliefs of the Wheel of Life. The Shivalahala chuckled and waved away the glare.

"Now, now, don't look so bristled. Just because you don't ascribe to the traditional Paths doesn't mean you don't feel their pull on your soul. Besides, the travel will do you good. Passions forbid you grow old here as I have."

"You make it sound like a bad thing."

"No, but obviously it's not what you need."

"I suppose."

"Not completely convinced of this decision, hmm?" That one made Kamryn flinch and the Shivalahala patted her to take the sting from her words. "I'm sorry Kam; this is a bad time to tease you."

"That's all right, you've earned the right."

"Still."

Long moments passed in quiet while Kamryn organized her thoughts only to find they kept drifting back to the golden woman left sleeping in her bed. The expression on her face was not lost on the old t'skrang. Flustered, she hesitantly tried to explain. "Three days ago a group of Adventurers came aboard the _Intrepid_. They fascinate me the same way Shivoam did all those years ago."

"Yes, B'tran gave me the bare details of your passengers. Something about a charismatic Beastmaster?" Nothing could have stopped the pink flush of pleased embarrassment. Or the indulgent chuckle in response. "So tell me about him."

The embarrassment deepened. "Him? I think there's been some mistake."

Then it occurred to Kamryn that her t'skrang crew had been fooled by Ingle's casually androgynous appearance. When she thought about it, she realized that if she had been fooled, how on earth were a bunch of t'skrang supposed to have figured it out? Laughter bubbled up unexpectedly and rapidly dissolved into gales of hilarity. Puzzled, but pleased at the sudden change in mood, the Shivalahala waited patiently for an explanation. At last Kamryn slumped into the couch and wiped away tears of merriment. "I needed that."

"Well, you certainly have me curious."

The fond smile that softly curled Kamryn's mouth earned the same from her friend. "The Beastmaster in question is indeed charismatic. But is no him, let me assure you of that. Though she will probably be amused, and possibly mildly aggrieved by the mistake."

"Go on."

With anyone else Kamryn would have been far too embarrassed by the circumstances. But this woman had been there for her far too often and deserved honesty about the burgeoning relationship. Besides, she desperately needed to talk about it. "I don't know what it is about her, but she fascinates me in a way I haven't felt since..." They shared a pained and commiserating look for the tale so few knew. There had been another woman who made Kamryn feel this way, but she had grown accustomed to pushing that pain away. Clearing her throat and getting back to the present, Kamryn picked up the thread of her thoughts. "There is a trust she inspires in me that I could easily begin to take for granted." 

"You told her about your father didn't you? It shows. There's lightness to you that I haven't seen before. I can hardly wait to meet this Ingle of yours."

"As long as you promise not to act to much the chaida. I'm not sure she's ready for you to be the concerned parent." The Shivalahala merely chuckled at the teasing.

Soon they found themselves walking through the Westhrall Memorial while they talked. The many fountains danced and sang happily for them in the morning sunshine. Overhead the Shivalahala's windling bodyguards, the Almarra, flew lazy circles above the water.

"So you plan on traveling with these Adventurers?"

"If they'll take me."

"Considering all you know, they would be fools not to."

"I don't want them to take me along simply because I'm useful."

"Then what do you want?"

"I want them to want me."

The melancholy mood was broken by a sudden shout from above them. "Greetings Name-givers!"

When they looked up they were astonished to see the Almarra flitting about a great black carpet hovering there in the morning sunshine. Even more surprising was a grinning Selene leaning over the edge. The Shivalahala chuckled and fired her friend a wry look. "One of your Adventurers?"

By the look on Kamryn's face she gathered the guess was correct. A gesture to the Almarra and the carpet gracefully sank to the pathway ahead of them. As Selene approached them, Kamryn shook herself out and remembered her manners.

"Shivalahala, this is the Illusionist, Selene Nighteyes. Selene, the Shivalahala V'strimon."

By her easy mannerisms, it was obvious that Selene was accustomed to this sort of interaction. Meeting the local equivalent of royalty had not set her back in the slightest. She bowed to the old t'skrang and smiled winningly. "I am honored to meet you Shivalahala V'strimon. Thanks to Frightful, I was able to find you and wish you a good morning."

As if on cue the little falcon blurred out of the sky and set the Almarra off into outraged dithers. It seemed very natural to Kamryn to offer her arm and bring the animal close to her body for protection from the angry windlings.

"Is that Frightful?"

"Indeed Shivalahala, she makes a fine aerial guide."

"Well, she seems to have thoroughly charmed you, Kam."

Embarrassed, the woman felt her cheeks flush even as she continued to pay attention to the falcon.

"Indeed. Ingle has taught the beasts that look to her considerable charm." Kamryn was not entirely certain how to take Selene's teasing comment or her enigmatic smile. Then the Illusionist was suddenly all diplomacy again. "Perhaps I can offer you a ride, captain? We are all curious about this lovely place."

"I did promise a tour."

For a few minutes, the Shivalahala walked with the Illusionist while Kamryn trailed behind with the talkative Frightful. Eventually, the old t'skrang was walking between the two elves and engaging them both in idle conversation. Selene realized that this was some kind of test, but willingly went along with it. The casual mood was broken when the Shivalahala finally could not resist the temptation to ask about Selene's perpetual squint.

"Bright morning eh?"

"Unfortunately, it is always a bright morning for me. I have painfully sensitive day vision, but my sight in darkness is nearly unparalleled. So much in fact that my fellow adventurers and I have become known as They Travel By Night. I have gifted our human Scout with a magic Item that allows him to see even better than I do in darkness and our t'skrang fellow has adapted nicely. Of course the Beastmaster is a natural in darkness."

A grin curled Selene's mouth and Kamryn decided she was indeed being teased. There was a bit of a scowl lingering on her face, but the expression did not go very deep. The Shivalahala had seen enough. If these two spellcasters could get along than Riverfray was going to be fine. So she stepped back and shooed at them like an aggrieved parent. "Go have fun you two; I have work I need to attend to. Kam, tomorrow will be your tessesta. If anything changes before then, let me know."

And with that, the old woman walked stately away. All Kamryn could do was whisper, "yes Shivalahala," around the painful lump in her throat. When she at last turned away, Selene was watching from the hovering carpet. There was a quiet understanding in her exotic features as she offered a hand. "Is that thing safe?"

"As long as no one shoots at us," was Selene's wry reply. There was a long moment of amusement and exasperation that passed between them. Surprisingly it was the Illusionist that backed down first. "Path often travels this way with me, and he weighs far more than you."

Frightful took off as Kamryn reluctantly climbed onto the carpet and was immediately relieved to find that its surface was firm and comfortable. So she sat behind Selene and tried not to dwell on the fact that they were slowly rising up from the island.

"You'll need to be friendlier than that, captain." Trying to ignore the humor in the Illusionist's tone, Kamryn scooted in close and draped arms and legs around her. Instantly, the carpet picked up speed and she tightened her grip without thinking. "You're a strong one. Relax; I won't let anything happen to you."

Loosening her grip a bit, Kamryn forced herself to look around as they continued to go both up and out. Off in the distance, Kamryn could see the undulating green shores of Lake Vors. Scattered across the dark blue water were ships of all shapes and sizes. "I've never seen the island from this perspective before. It's beautiful."

"Indeed. Let's see it from a bit higher up shall we?" The ground fell further away and Kamryn clamped down on her fear of the great distance below her. In the bright sunlight, the jagged pale spines of the refselenika glittered beneath the surface of the water. Boats made their painstaking way through them. House V'strimon looked like many small islands laid out in a perfect pentagon around the Great Hall, broken by the shallow waterways amidst the reeds. "This is my favorite domain. Just the sky and the clouds and of course, Frightful." The falcon wheeled and dipped about the flying carpet and Kamryn watched her fly in fascination. She had never witnessed the mechanics of a bird's flight and it was very enlightening. Suddenly the little falcon gave a screech and dropped to the island below. "Sounds like she found the Beastmaster."

Kathryn smothered an undignified noise as the carpet began to plummet into a controlled spiral after the bird. "If Name-Givers had been meant to fly, we would've all been hatched k'stulaami."

There was a certain satisfaction that Selene understood her reference to the rare, winged t'skrang. As they dropped lower, her jolly laughter made the others look up. Frightful circled around Ingle as both Beastmaster and warhorse turned to greet their companions. Carpet and Name-Giver circled the party and Selene called out to them.

"Found her. She took the flight quite nicely, though I think this has been quite enough."

Indeed, Kamryn looked a trifle pale and Selene's ribs were aching from her grip. A gentle touch on her thigh snapped Kamryn's attention to a smiling Ingle. "You can come down now." There was humor in that low voice and haven in her open arms. Eagerly, Kamryn shifted to join her and the carpet twitched mischievously to help her on her way. With a yelp of alarm, Kamryn tumbled ungracefully into Ingle's embrace. Chuckles echoed around the group as she clung to the taller elf and breathed in the warm smell of her. "They tease, but they do it for all the right reasons."

"I'll try to remember that." Wrapped around the Beastmaster, Kamryn realized that both woman and horse were wearing a full suit of thick, furry hide complete with scruffy, adolescent manes. A great feline head hung from Ingle's shoulders like a helm and the hard edges of weapons were pressing against her own scale armor. As Taren began to move, Kamryn leaned back enough to get a better look at her lover. A heavy, intricate silver necklace glittered at her throat and set off her pale eyes. The hide armor was only a few shades darker than her hair and made her look like a wild animal. The shock value was compounded by the massive warhorse draped in the same pale hide. Upon closer examination the craftsmanship was exquisite. "Must have been one big lion."

"Hmm? It was four chimera actually. Nearly tore me and my young charges to pieces."

What did one to say to such a blasé comment? 

"You look so different like this."

"Armed and armored and astride a warhorse while wearing this striking hide? I should hope so."

"No it's not just that. You hold yourself differently, I can appreciate it."

"Hmm. I look forward to the day when I will see you in battle. That will be quite a sight." Discretely, the others had backed off a few paces and the noise of the city gave the lovers privacy. Intent silver eyes pinned Kamryn as Ingle leaned in close. "You were gone this morning."

"I'm sorry. I needed to speak with the Shivalahala and I wanted so badly not to be distracted by you."

There was skepticism lurking in Ingle's gaze, but she seemed somewhat mollified. "Very well. Just think about what pleasures you missed and perhaps you won't do so again."

With a startled glance, Kamryn realized that Ingle was quite serious about what she had just said. Crimson embarrassment and arousal rushed across her skin and sent her heart racing. For long minutes all she could do was cling to Ingle and breathe in the scents of her. They Travel By Night were amused and warmed by the smug, loving look on their Beastmaster's face as she cradled her lover close.

The day was a complete success. Four young Adepts rapidly came to appreciate the wise, if not erratically emotional elder in their midst. For her part Kamryn Riverfray was mildly taken aback by how she acted among them. For over two hundred years she had mostly lived by logic and duty. Now these young people who had far too much experience lurking in their eyes were forcing out parts of her personality that she had repressed for so long. Quickly, she had learned to accept that they would challenge her carefully built stoicism and sense of protocol every chance they had. In fact, she could not remember a day she had ever felt so carefree. There was no doubt that her decision to join them was the right thing to do. But would they take her with them?

"I'm hungry," Path announced out of the blue. The gang of them had taken refuge on a roof to watch the setting sun. From where he was sprawled in Selene's lap, he did not seem as though he was in much of a hurry.

"Too much wandering for you, Scout?"

They chuckled at Vladik's dry comment. A certain tension had crept into Kamryn's behavior in the last few hours and finally Selene could not help but comment on it. "Kamryn? Cough it up woman; you're making us nervous. What's bothering you?"

That made them all focus on their new companion. Violet and pale blue and purple and silver regarded Kamryn as she struggled with how to ask. Finally she just blurted it out. "I want to go with you. Wherever it is you're going. It doesn't matter, but I want… need to go with you… Please…"

They were all taken aback, that much was obvious. Even the Illusionist, who usually missed few enigmas, had not seen this coming. A delighted grin split Vladik's snout and Path respectfully ducked his head. Only Selene seemed to be undecided. They all looked to Ingle, who had a strange look on her face. Did the Beastmaster not like the idea? Or would her pack's acceptance of her unusual new mate be enough? Ingle stared hard into the wide blue eyes and searched for the truth there. Only terrified sincerity stared back at her. 

"You could leave all this behind?"

"In my heart… I already have."

"It won't be easy."

"I understand that. But you have… to want me." It was not a simple decision for Ingle. There had been little opportunity for her to examine how this redhead made her feel. Now instead of wondering how she would say goodbye, she would need to build a relationship with her. All this painted an elaborate tale across her expressive features and made Kamryn's already shaky confidence falter. "Do you wish me to leave?" 

Startled, Ingle grabbed the trembling Warrior and hugged her fiercely. Ingle had never walked away from a challenge in her life. She was not about to walk away from this one. "No, no, my brave heart. Just give me a moment." Held so close to the Beastmaster, Kamryn could not see the looks flashed between the four Adventurers. Scout, Illusionist and Troubadour had been companions for a very long time. Little more than a year had passed since Ingle had joined them. As much as she was feeling for the trembling woman in her arms, she would not lightly risk her bond with these three. As one, they silently accepted Ingle's unconscious challenge to their whole. Having such a powerful Adept they barely knew in their midst was both reward and risk. Then the intense moment was shattered by the men's matching grins. Even Selene nodded reluctantly. She could not deny the honest and desperate plea in Ingle's eyes. Relieved, Ingle nosed into Kamryn's thick hair and whispered in an intimate voice. "Join us and I will adapt to the change."

"Oh Ingle... I didn't know what I was going to do if you refused me."

"I suspect there will be little I can refuse you." Gentle laughter reminded Kamryn that they were not alone but she could not bear to lean away from Ingle's warmth. Hot tears of relief and release wet the side of Ingle's throat and the bigger elf stroked her overcome lover with tender affection. "You are such a delightful surprise to me," she murmured softly and Kamryn made a soft sound of agreement. Finally decorum partially reasserted itself and the Warrior turned misty eyes to the others of They Travel By Night.

"Thank you."

"The look on your face is thanks enough," Vladik replied gently and moved to rub a cheek against her damp face affectionately. Then Path offered a hand and was pleasantly taken aback when she gripped his forearm, as one Warrior would greet another. Selene offered only a small smile and a thoughtful expression. Path caught the almost challenging exchange as he settled down beside Selene and gave her intense look. It was as though he was trying to read all that she would not show him. At least not willingly. Annoyed at his scrutiny, Selene matched the gaze until he smiled enigmatically and looked away.

"Two spellcasters, eh?" The human mused in perfect Sperethiel. "There should be interesting times ahead." Vladik and Ingle stared at the two of them in what was almost alarm. Even Kamryn tensed as Selene's expression suddenly went dark. The murderous glare slid right off Path's air of indifference and served to irritate the Illusionist even more. Then he broke with a chuckle and pounced on her with great affection. "You will always be first to me, oh fierce one. Will you share the exclusivity you have enjoyed for so long? For the sake of their smiles?"

For a long moment Selene maintained her perfect aura of indifferent irritation before it vanished like smoke. Fondly, she kissed him on the nose and smiled warmly at their new companion. She earned a watery version of the same expression. "Yes. Travels with a Wizard, eh? Interesting times indeed."

Only then did the last of Kamryn's tension drain out of her small body. Sensing the change, Ingle again held her close. Pleasure flowed through her as the woman curled her entire body in close and made a small sound of trusting vulnerability. Slowly, Kamryn's nervous heart began to settle as she accepted the warmth of the people around her. Vladik was muttering about the things they would need for a new member to travel. There was a chuckle and a tease from Path at the Troubadour's mothering.

"Why me?" The words rumbled quietly in Ingle's chest and Kamryn smiled in response. She kissed the striped neck fondly and tightened her embrace.

"Do I have to have a better reason than needing you so much?"

"No, but I hope we can work on creating something more than just need."

That comment made Kamryn jerk her head up to stare in shock at the young woman only to find a nervous wistfulness in the silver eyes. Great Passions in the stars above, she really was young and inexperienced! A startled sound escaped Ingle when Kamryn wrapped her in a loving hug that was nearly suffocating in its intensity. "Oh Ingle… it's not just need. I desperately want to get to know you better. No one has ever made me feel quite the way you do, and I've been around for so very long. I can't imagine what this will be like once we know one another better."

Ingle's relief was so profound that Kamryn heard as much as felt the shudder of release that ran through her long body. Perhaps they would be all right after all.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been one of the hardest things Kamryn had ever done. Nearly a hundred t'skrang had passed through the central foundation that night to wish her well and share an outrageous tale of her exploits. Some were so feeble with age that she struggled with their identities. There had been so many tears that she was drained and heartsick by the time dawn peeked over the horizon. Only the Shivalahala's warm gaze and the visceral rightness of her decision to join Ingle kept Kamryn on her feet. The tessesta was a formal gathering that offered the opportunity to bid farewell to a departing comrade. Of course, formal meant something different to the t'skrang. More than once Kamryn had to wince at the sheer absurdity of the tall tales told about her. She laughed as often as she wept. Then They Travel By Night arrived in the thin morning to collect her. Through the haze of emotional exhaustion and the alcohol still pounding through her system, Kamryn smiled wearily at them and allowed herself to be gently gathered into Ingle's embrace.

Halfway out of the room, Ingle felt an intense gaze and paused. For a long moment she did not move but remained perched lightly on the balls of her feet with every sense alert. Then she swung her head around to meet the eyes of a wizened old t'skrang. For a long moment the Shivalahala examined the tall Beastmaster as though she could learn all there was to know in these few moments. This Ingle really did look like a lanky adolescent boy, no wonder none on the _Intrepid_ had figured her out. She held herself like a threatened predator and relaxed only marginally when she spotted who was staring at her. But her grip on Kamryn was gentle and protective despite her alarm. The smaller woman had dropped unconscious the moment she had snuggled into Ingle's warmth. Slipping into her Astral Sight, the Shivalahala took note of the emotions running through their two Patterns like ripples of color. A glance at the others showed them to be alert and amused. With a respectful duck of her head, the Beastmaster was gone and the Shivalahala felt keenly the loss of her old friend borne away in the arms of this new love.

 

++

 

The touch was gentle, lips warm and soft, the world quiet around her. Soft hair against her skin like the Bear's when he breathed on her face to wake her and be fed. Half asleep, Kamryn felt slow hands coax her legs apart, the easy movements of the body in her bed, the tender mouth on her inner thigh.

She moaned almost inaudibly and her eyes flickered half open. As though sensing the movement, that curious mouth shifted to taste the lingering wet at Kamryn's center. There was the briefest glance of laughing silver eyes before Kamryn gave in with a hiss and buried her hands into Ingle's hair.

"Ancestors, Ingle… yessss… just like that."

Those lips suckled at the hard knot of Kamryn's pleasure for long moments before moving to gather the flowing moisture below. She drank deeply before returning to her gentle suckling. Then the most extraordinary sound began to come from the content Beastmaster. 

She began to purr. 

The vibrations rippled from one body to the other and the sound faintly warmed the room. Kamryn yelped in pleasure and surprise, knees up, body half sitting, blue eyes wide. Ingle seemed to smile before taking a stronger grip around her lover's thighs and steadily increasing the intensity of her lovemaking.

"Se-belet… belet samriel… melegthiel…"

Did the small woman even realize she was murmuring in the ancient language of the elves? Ingle shifted again to gather the potent honey at her chin and Kamryn moaned as though in pain.

"Passions Ingle… must you keep me waiting?"

"Yes," she chuckled and burrowed in deeper, her voice becoming more of a threatening growl than a purr. Adrenaline and arousal burned to that sound and the aggressive mouth. Kamryn muttered deliriously from the eight languages she spoke and pulled at the hair gripped in her fingers. Ingle growled louder in response to the pain and latched onto Kamryn's urgent hardness to worry it unmercifully. Shifting into a half seated position; Ingle threw Kamryn's legs over her shoulders and ran teasing hands over the tense body she was pleasuring. Mindless with need, Kamryn gave in to the pressure with a hoarse shout that seemed to only galvanize the Beastmaster. Still pulsing with completion, Kamryn felt tender fingers slip within her and the purring begin anew. All she could do was ride out Ingle's tireless loving until she was drenched in sweat, dry from shouting and drained utterly from the pleasure. At last Ingle gave a final nuzzle before curling her long body around her satiated lover.

"You look like a successful hunter," Kamryn hummed quietly as she basked in the delicious exhaustion.

"You've awakened the beast within me. Hungry?" At the suggestion, Kamryn's stomach growled noisily. "I'll take that as a yes. Be back soon."

Before she could do more than tense to move, Kamryn yanked her back into her embrace. "Wait," she breathed between open-mouthed kisses. "Stay with me for just a little while longer." Body taut with her own need, Ingle willingly gave in to the slow, affectionate loving that Kamryn bestowed upon her. It was a quiet, moaned release that rippled up Ingle's body and left her warm and calm. "That was a wonderful way to wake up," Kamryn grinned lazily and enjoyed another lingering kiss.

"Agreed," Ingle purred and felt Kathryn respond to the sound. "Patience, love. We need water and sustenance to play any longer. I'll return shortly."

With far too much energy, Ingle leapt from the bed and tossed a cloth in the washbasin. While she hurriedly mopped herself off, Kamryn admired her strong body. The scars were like a broken True Pattern across her golden skin, muscles smooth and wiry beneath them. Clad in only pants and a loose shirt, Ingle padded into the other room and the main door clicked open.

"Well good morning," the Beastmaster's surprised voice greeted someone. "Go keep Kamryn company, won't you?"

Startled, Kamryn dove under the covers to conceal her nakedness. Then Serulos padded in and hopped up on the bed. Annoyed and amused at the joke that had just been played on her, she ruffled the dog's ears. "Well hello, pretty girl. Hey, watch the paws you monster."

If she had not noticed it before, she noticed it now. The dog was huge, easily as tall in the shoulder as Ingle was in the hip with paws bigger than her own feet. With a heavy sigh, the dog flopped down beside the elf and sprawled lazily next to the smaller body.

That's how Ingle found them some time later. Blue eyes and brown regarded her from the rumpled bed and she could only grin. "Have I been replaced so soon?" Startled again, Kamryn jerked her hand from the dog's ruff and Ingle laughed. Setting down her burden, she knelt on the bed to lean over the animal and kiss her lover thoroughly. Both were breathless by the time they separated. "You really aren't accustomed to being teased are you?"

Serulos found this a perfect opportunity to lick them both across the chins and they grumbled in protest. That turned into an impromptu wrestling match that left both Name-Givers laughing and the dog barking in excitement. Then Ingle extricated herself from the chaos and silently ordered Serulos to the floor. A shirt was tossed to Kamryn and breakfast carried into the main room. There was a bowl of meat scraps for the dog and a variety of fragrant foods for the women. When Serulos nosed at the oilskin of scraps and whined, the Beastmaster stared her down. "No. Those are for Huff." Serulos sulked while Kamryn just looked curious. "Huff is Path's huttawa. This girl is a greedy eater and would leave nothing for the poor thing if I allowed it. Wouldn't you Serulos?"

At the mention of her name, the dog raised her head and the feathery tail wagged.

"Why did you give her such an odd name?"

"A friend from my first adventuring group gave her to me when I left behind my old dog, Left-Ear. She was all ears and feet and bravado. Nothing would cow her, even things that should have. I've never been entirely comfortable with using Sperethiel and she's the first to be Named in that tongue." There was more to Ingle's statement, Kamryn was certain of it. But the silver eyes were on the bowl of stew and the expression neutral. It was tempting to use a simple Divine Aura spell, but she decided to just leave it instead. "When did you want to go?"

That loaded question was like kernels of True Fire and True Air dropped into the barrel of a fire cannon. There was a long silence while Kamryn turned the idea over in her mind like a primed trap ready to go off. Finally she sighed and looked up. "If the others have no reason to stay, I think I'd like to leave as soon as possible. It's going to be difficult enough to leave. I'd rather not draw the experience out."

"No problem. While you were at your tess… tessta…"

"Tessesta," Kamryn teased fondly at the Beastmaster's lousy pronunciation.

"Tessesta," Ingle parroted back obediently before continuing. "We went back to the marketplace and picked up a few things. We're ready when you are."

"I'll need to return to the Foundation house to go through my things there, but I think I'd rather wait for nightfall. I'm less likely to run into people I know then."

"It's probably already close to nightfall. You were partying all night and we've slept all day," Ingle replied and her eyes unfocused for a moment. Kamryn knew what she was doing and waited while she asked one of her beasts a question. Then they sharpened again above Ingle's smile. "There's quite a glorious sunset outside. Care to join me? Frightful's waiting."

"I'd love too."

Again there was that odd expression like Ingle was going to say more and was not sure how, or even if she really wanted to. Gathering their things, they made for the roof to see the western skies painted in all the colors of a mad artist's palate. Slowly the gorgeous pinks and golds and oranges faded to a spectrum of amazing blues. Familiar patterns of stars appeared as the blue turned to black. Kamryn leaned against Ingle with Serulos and Frightful standing silent sentinel and felt at peace.

"The others are coming back from the market. We should meet them."

"How do you know? I don't see them yet."

"Who do you think completed the training of their mounts?"

"Oh, of course. I guess it was a silly question."

"No offense taken. You already told me you knew little of my Discipline. The same is true of the three Paths you've woven together. We'll learn about one another with time."

Grinning, they scrambled for the stables to greet Taren and get him prepared for travel. When Selene arrived slightly before the men, Kamryn asked if she could provide quick transportation to the Foundation House. The others agreed to meet them there. After they were gone Ingle concentrated on settling Taren's tack correctly and ignored the inquisitive men as long as she could. At last she gave in and turned to them with a scowl. 

"What?"

Neither looked any different than they always did, but Ingle had grown adept at reading their subtlest facial expressions.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" There was no reproach in Vladik's tone, only gentle curiosity. For a moment Ingle did not respond but finally slumped down to a convenient hay bale with a sigh.

"I've asked myself the same question many times over… Passions, has it only been three days?"

They smiled and settled down to give her a chance to speak her mind.

"Yes, this is the fourth night since we met the good captain. Well, you did at any rate."

"Certainly not in character for me."

"Perhaps, but not entirely out of character either," Path finally added to the conversation and earned curious looks. "Come now, Keeper of the Beasts, you more than any of us respond from the heart, the gut, from the part of us that is still animal. She calls to you in a way we can see shine in your eyes."

"That transparent, eh?"

"No, no," Vladik hastened to soothe his friend's self-depreciating tone. "He's right. You may be a solitary hunter by nature, but you feel with a depth that few of us can match. It's one of your greatest strengths."

They looked at one another and the thought lay unspoken between them.

_And one of your greatest weaknesses…_

 

++

 

In the darkest hour of night, Kamryn Tirastah Moralim, who had taken on the aragapoi Name of Riverfray, walked away from the island that had been her home for eighty-seven years. Choked with emotion, she stood at the barge railing and watched the lights of the Floating City slowly fade into the misty darkness. Near enough for her to feel their presence were the four who had become her new family. They did not speak for they understood all too well the pain of separation. When the lumbering boat reached the eastern shore of Lake Ban near the town of Kivos, they silently gathered to prepare for the journey. Without asking, Ingle grasped Kamryn around the waist to set her upon Taren's broad back before mounting up behind her. Huff padded down the loading ramp onto the dock with Vladik's pretty mare on his tail. Quietly Serulos fell in behind the Troubadour and Taren took up the rear. There were but a few sleepy dockworkers and the occasional drunk up and about this hour and they took little notice of the Adepts that rode quietly through town.

Then the shadowy farms and pasturelands swallowed them up into its dark embrace.

It had been so long since Kamryn had been away from the river and the boats that traveled her length, that she had forgotten just how different the world could feel. The half moon was nearly lost behind the clinging fog and even her sensitive elven eyes could not penetrate the gloom. Strong smells of green, growing things and the musky tang of herd beasts drifted with the fog. It was maddening to have to trust the strong beasts that bore the Name-Givers into the unknown. Sensing the nervousness, Ingle stroked her thighs comfortingly and nuzzled the auburn hair. Minutes or hours could have passed while they climbed the steep banks of Lake Ban with little sound from Name-Giver or beast. There was only the symphony of night sounds that Kamryn listened to avidly and tried to imagine what it must sound like to Ingle. Twice the larger woman stiffened with alertness and every animal in the group instantly froze. Within an instant, every member of the party was hyper alert and waiting for a signal. Both times the moment passed and they moved on.

When the darkness began to fade the change was so gradual Kamryn did not even notice at first. There was so much going on in her head that the dawn seemed almost irrelevant. She startled every time Ingle deliberately put a hand on her even as the Beastmaster kept doing it. Gradually, their surroundings became brighter and Kamryn realized they had been on an earthen road all this time. Ahead of Taren, Selene muttered something intelligible that made Path chuckle and pat her leg. As the thin morning sunshine began to burn off the fog, scattered buildings began to materialize amid the cultivated fields. A dog barked nearby and Serulos returned the greeting. Soon thereafter a winding caravan of carts and cows passed with much sniffing among the attending canines. The mixed group of beast-tenders offered the Adventurer's cheery 'good mornings,' and their voices were startling after so many hours of silence. Vladik immediately began charming them with questions and compliments. Numb from exhaustion, Kamryn did not even hear what he was saying. Curiosity forced the mana in her Pattern into a familiar tool and the world around her shimmered into change. There was lingering magic here, including the sickly taint of the Horrors. It was nothing out of the ordinary except for the vaguely uneasy feeling it caused deep in Kamryn's gut. Dropping the Astral Sight, Kamryn took a quick inventory of the spells in her matrices and wondered if she should swap a few out. There was Dodge Boost, Astral Shield, Iron Hand, Sleep and Divine Aura. With a thought, she unwove the latter and even that small concentration made her sag into the Beastmaster.

"Are you well?"

"Mmm hmm. Just emptying a matrix. When we stop I'll put in a new spell. I can't concentrate enough right now."

"Soon, I promise. When you feel up to it I'll have to ask you questions about your spellcasting Discipline."

"Curious?"

"Eternally."

By the time they reached the others, the process of setting up camp had already begun in a shielded grove near the road. Path was away from camp, digging a latrine trench, while Selene was expertly working on a collapsed tent. Vladik was carefully rearranging stones in a blackened circle for a campfire. With an expert twist of her body, Ingle slid off Taren and reached up for her lover.

"Come down and keep Vladik company while we finish setting up camp. Once you get used to the land travel, we'll put you to work."

There was no objection as Kamryn tumbled into Ingle's arms and pressed a weary kiss to the tattooed throat. Feeling every one of her many years in back and legs, Kamryn hobbled over to Vladik and collapsed beside him.

"I know it may be hard to believe, but one does grow accustomed to the constant riding." There was a fond grin on the t'skrang's beak as he watched Kamryn slowly sprawl out ungracefully beside him. There was a brittle exhaustion clinging to her as closely as implanted armor. So Vladik did what he did best, he told a story. The others listened with half an ear as they went about their tasks. "There was a time when I would not ride any beast of burden, no matter how grand or well-bred. They were no more than a discomfort to pride and tail that I had no desire to tolerate. Then I witnessed the amazing bond that a Name-Giver shared with a very creature I had sneered at for so long. Oh certainly I knew honorable Huff and a powerful dyre ridden by a singularly unique troll. But until I met brave Taren, I had never understood the inherent beauty of those creatures that give to us so generously. Horse and dyre and pony and griffin, all are wonderful and amazing individuals in their own right. How many times have the very companions we consider merely dumb beasts saved us time and effort? How many times have they warned us of danger? Perhaps even saved our lives? More often than we Name-Givers are willing to admit. There are the keen senses of the dog, the driving instinct of the horse to protect the herd. There are so many beasts upon our green world that give to us in so many ways, I feel privileged to tell of their glories to any who would listen."

Even during that brief tale the camp had been completed and the fire begun. They Travel By Night gathered around the softly smiling Warrior and waited patiently for their breakfast. With a snap, Vladik unfurled a collapsed basket woven of the everliving reeds of House V'strimon. Among the weave were tiny kernels of True Air and Fire that made the basket a very efficient pot. Soon a hearty stew was simmering merrily as the Heroes sat in the ripening dawn.

"Is she awake?" The question at her right shoulder made Ingle flinch and shoot Selene a dirty look.

"You're the one with Astral Sight, you tell me."

"No need to growl, Beastmaster."

"You startled me."

"There was a time you would have never allowed me to sneak up on you, every sense always on alert."

When there was no response forthcoming, Selene reached down to gently shake Kamryn into wakefulness. Bristling and tense, the Warrior was instantly on her feet, sword half drawn before she recognized her companions.

"Sorry. Reflexes."

Selene merely snorted and shot them both a long-suffering look. "Birds of a feather," she murmured as she went to collect her meal. Gingerly, Kamryn settled to the ground again and was relieved that even the short nap had eased some of her pains. A sudden gentle pressure on the knotted muscles of her lower neck made her moan softly.

"Vladik is right you know," Ingle murmured softly as she massaged away some of her lover's stress. "The travel does become easier with time."

"Good, I'll try to be patient until then." There was a sarcastic tension in Kamryn's voice that made Ingle shift to sit behind her and cradle the small woman close. Sensitive fingers continue to coax away the knots and stiffness beneath the long hair. The others were amused at the soft, faint sounds that issued from Kamryn as she sagged under Ingle's touch. She was a quietly vocal one, this Adept. Once again she was dozing when a grinning Scout held a bowl of stew under her nose. "Thanks," Kamryn muttered thickly and Ingle let her be in order to eat. It was immediately apparent that she was having difficulty with even sitting up. When only half done, she set aside her food and wearily went to the tent Serulos guarded.

"She's not going to sleep in that armor is she?"

"I'll take care of that when I turn in Vladik, don't worry. Path, do you have any idea where we are?"

"Certainly. This road should continue west for a few more days according to the locals. If we follow the river north it will take us to Darranis. The Darranis Road leads straight to Throal." There was a long pause as the Scout stared into the fire with a pensive expression on his bearded face. "The road passes near the Arena of Learning… Perhaps they might be able to help." Four pairs of worried eyes met across the fire. Clearing his throat with effort, Path continued in a quiet voice. "Surely I'm not the only one who still wonders. Already twice…"

None could finish the thought that terrified them so. Suddenly they had no appetite and poured what had not been eaten back into the pot.

"Perhaps I should have told Kamryn," Ingle mused and was surprised when Selene squeezed her shoulder.

"Perhaps it will be unnecessary."

But none of them believed it.


	5. Chapter 5

Something had woken her, Kamryn was sure of it. For long moments she lay there in the clinging late afternoon heat and felt her alarmed heart gradually slow. There seemed to be nothing more than argumentative birds and singing trees outside the walls of the lightweight tent. The world around her was too quiet; the firm surface beneath her too still… and something was draped heavily across her feet. When Kamryn abruptly yanked her legs up towards her chest, Serulos yelped in alarm and clumsily scrambled from the tent.

"Passions Serulos! Are you trying to scare the sense from me?"

Tail between her legs, the big gold dog slunk away from the tent and left the woman to glower.

"Perhaps now you understand that one's Name better," Ingle's voice chuckled as she knelt outside the tent opening.

"What? You're not rushing off to console your poor dog?"

Kamryn sounded peevish even to her own ears. Ingle remained deliberately passive as she glanced over to the sulking Serulos.

"No, she needs to learn her boundaries around you. We all do."

There was a subtle undercurrent of censure in the big elf's even tone and it irritated Kamryn even more. Growling something incoherent, the spellcaster thrashed her way from the light bedding and stomped across camp. When she reached the dusty road, she finally stopped and took stock of both her surroundings and her internal turmoil. Far in the distance, Lake Ban glittered like a blue jewel against the patterned tapestry of fields and villages. Tears rose up in effort to ease the lingering sense of loss that plagued Kamryn like a festering wound. Someone stepped up beside her to lightly touch her arm and when Kamryn looked over to see a blurry Taren, she was astonished. The stallion's dark eyes were oddly compassionate as he stood there as though guarding her from harm while she struggled with her emotions. By the time a passing traveler shook Kamryn from her thoughts, the sun had sagged low in the darkening sky. If the human on horseback wondered what a half-dressed elf was doing with an unfettered warhorse on the side of the road, he did not slow enough to ask.

Beside her, Taren shook himself out almost simultaneously with Kamryn. Much to her surprise, the big horse leaned over to breathe casually across her face before nosing her back to the camp. When they approached, Ingle shot them an unfathomable look as she uncoiled from her seated position and vanished into the scrub and trees. Silent as a shadow, Serulos followed her master. Vladik spared them all wise glances before returning his attention to the chainmail in his hands. "Would you care to join me, Warrior-Wizard-Boatman? Perhaps you can do a better job with this than I seem capable of."

Feeling abandoned by Ingle and Serulos, Kamryn settled beside Vladik in the very spot the Beastmaster had so recently evacuated. She watched the green and blue hands twist the heavy wire with pliers into a tiny circle and carefully weave it into the carpet of the chainmail. There were faint tones of purple among the small wrinkles at the joints and where the skin ended at the blunt talons. There was strain in those sensitive hands, and without thinking, Kamryn held up her own hands to take the task from him.

Long after Vladik would have stopped, Kamryn kept working at the small circles. With her low light vision the task was manageable even in near darkness. The separate Disciplines she was made accomplishing with her own two hands. There was pattern and form, function and protection, beauty and practicality in the mosaic of rings. Startled, a Name came to her, like a voice whispering across her mind.

_Travels Far In Stealth…_

"It gave me its Name."

"I heard," Path-of-Stars said quietly and her gaze flickered to him.

"Something happened to it, something dark…"

As the words left her mouth, Kamryn desperately wished she could take them back as Path's expression shuttered. It was like having a door slammed shut in her face. Then he gentled and ran a nervous hand over his shaggy gold hair.

"There are things we have told no one."

Worried and frightened glances flashed among They Travel By Night. When Path shifted to move, Kamryn grabbed his arm.

"Tell me when you need to tell me. I'll not betray your trust, any of you, by pressuring you."

There was a long, thick silence before Path patted her hand and sat next to her. They spoke quietly about weapons and warfare while the others went about their business. Ingle left the spitted rabbit under Vladik's watchful gaze while she and Selene broke down the tents. At her own, she crouched down and scooped out the gear within. There was a startled 'whuff' as the hilt of the crystal sword thumped her hard in the gut.

"Are you okay?"

It was a though the Beastmaster had not even heard the Illusionist's question. Instead, the big elf grasped the hilt and slowly drew the glittering blade from its scabbard with a faint ringing chime. Silence descended onto camp as the others stared. It was a shortish blade, only the length of a small elf's arm, with a standard two-edged blade that was as clear as flawless glass aside from the cloud of minute words that ran down part of its length. In the last rays of the dying sun it sparkled with all the colors of the rainbow. For a long moment, Ingle could only stare at the blade and remember Kamryn telling her its tale. Finally, she shook her trance off and looked up into Selene's curious eyes. A heavy moment passed until the spellcaster nodded almost imperceptibly. 

Reverently, Ingle went to the curious Kamryn and knelt formally before her. The sword was offered, hilt first, the deadly point resting against Ingle's sternum.

"My True Name," Ingle intoned somberly, "is Iyla Tirenghael. There is a tale you should have been told before you joined us."

A small hand shot out to cover Ingle's lips as she drew breath to speak again. Would Kamryn ever cease to be amazed at this beastwoman's sensitivity? She fervently hoped not. Like a benediction she breathed the Name back to her lover. "Iyla Tirenghael."

The expression of puzzled and almost reluctant pleasure on Ingle's face was delightful. "I've never heard another say my True Name."

"My pleasure and my honor."

"Warrior, your blade."

Carefully Kamryn lifted the sharp sword away from Ingle's calloused hands and pointed it at the sky. "Kamryn Tirastah Moralim."

Murmuring the Name back to its owner, Ingle leaned in to kiss her lover and Path used their distraction as an excuse to scramble away. During that entire exchange he had felt as though he had been intruding. Coyly, he sidled up to Selene and bumped up against her like a friendly puppy. It earned him the smile he had been hoping for as the new lovers joined Vladik by the fire.

"Path's right," Ingle sighed as the others were nearly done with their travel preparations. "We should have told you what happened to us before we brought you along."

Kamryn watched her companions grow still, as though hunted. Pupils widened in fear, bodies tense and ready to flee. Surprisingly, it was Selene that broke the silence, her voice low and soft. "I think, that come daylight, it may do us good to come clean about what happened."

For a moment none of them moved, then Vladik nodded and his tail finally began to move again. It was worrisome when a t'skrang's tail stopped moving, a warning of danger or impending violence. Path added his nod and Ingle rubbed uncomfortably at her forearms where the magnificent bracers lay hidden. Kamryn didn't miss the gesture, laying protective fingers over her lover's nervous hands.

They Travel By Night was moody and jumpy as they made their way through the darkness. Every odd sound would send beast or Name-Giver shying away which would in turn startle the others. Kamryn's nerves were as tight as theirs, her body rigid in response to Ingle's stress. When she at last spotted a cheerfully lit inn off in the distance, she unceremoniously slipped from Ingle's grasp and moved to Taren's head. Snorting in surprise, the big warhorse allowed the small woman to reach up and wrap her arm around his nose and redirect him from the trail.

"What are you doing?" Ingle questioned mildly, unsurprised by her lover's initiative.

"Buying us some down time where it's quiet and relatively safe. All of us."

The other steeds followed Taren with no complaint. They had not traveled nearly as far as usual this night, but they were exhausted from nerves and stress. Frightful landed wearily on Ingle's shoulder and when the Beastmaster shied away she realized the Wizard was right. Dawn was still far off but early morning activities were beginning as they came to the small inn beside the road. A shrewd-eyed dwarven woman shooed away her grown children and waited for the elf in House V'strimon colors to approach. Patting the warhorse's soft nose, the woman smiled thinly and approached the innkeeper.

"Mornin' travelers. Long night, eh?"

"Indeed. We require rest and quiet, and your establishment appears to fit the bill."

"That may be, traveler, but the harvest festival is here and we're full up."

"Blast. I'd forgotten."

Softening, the dwarf gestured to the rest of the group. "You seem comfortable enough with the four-legged among us. I can offer you space in the barn. I've never been one to turn away Adepts."

Grinning in relief, Kamryn offered a hand. "Offer a few baths, and we'll take the deal."

"Fair deal done, Adept," the dwarf smiled back and shook the small hand smartly. "Follow me."

Ingle was amused and warmed at how willingly Taren submitted to Kamryn's hand on his loose halter. Head at her shoulder, the proud warhorse followed the small woman to the stables. The others fell in as was their habit. The innkeeper startled only a little when Frightful swooped into the dimly-lit barn, chittering to herself over this new place. Amused, Ingle silently admonished the bird, and she swooped to a rafter, fluffing herself before settling.

Kamryn was distractedly rubbing Taren's muzzle while the innkeeper spoke. "The festival begins today. Good food and good entertainment. Here you are, four clean stalls. If you need a place to store valuables, bring them to the main eating hall and I'll do my best. The stalls are a silver each, as is a good bath. My son and his cronies can take care of that later need right away."

"Done," Kamryn was in no mood to haggle and fished out a handful of coins, knowing them by feel. "Thank you for finding space for us."

"No trouble. Since the fairgrounds moved to the other side of the valley, there's little need for this big barn. Name's Draza, and welcome to Gray Oak."

"Kamryn. And these are the members of They Travel By Night."

"Welcome Heroes. Breakfast should be starting any moment now. Baths and food will be out shortly, unless you'd rather eat in the common room."

"Thank you, Draza. Breakfast here will be fine."

Once the dwarf had walked out, Ingle flashed Vladik a grin. "Not going along to charm the locals?"

"I'd rather a bath."

They chuckled at that one and concentrated on tending to their mounts. Some time passed as the grounds around them slowly came to life in the pre-dawn dark.

"Heroes?" A girl's voice startled them, and the owner flinched away as they collectively almost over-reacted. She was a pretty dwarf girl only just filling out into womanhood. "Mother sent me to ensure what comforts we can provide in such surroundings."

Huff, Serulos and Ingle were all sniffing the air. "My dear," the big elf purred flatteringly. "If you have in those cases what I think you have, we are in your debt."

Giggling prettily, she came in and set the heavy wooden case down. "Come inside, you ninnies," she called back towards the door and several more girls crept in shyly. The pretty little brunette human giggled and flushed prettily when Ingle relieved her of her heavy burden with a charismatic smile.

"A feast!" Path-of-Stars crowed eagerly as he dropped his armor in a heap and stripped off his loose shirt. There was much twittering amidst the girls and his party ignored his preening. From the girl's parcels came the sweet smell of warm bread, boiled eggs, fresh meats and the thick scent of porridge. "And a grand one at that!"

The dwarf girl seemed taken aback as Path plopped himself onto a hay bale and pulled out a dagger to dig into the vittles. "But this is only simple fare, Hero," she objected and the gathered Heroes laughed warmly.

"My dear," Vladik said warmly as he settled onto a pile of tack and reached for the porridge. "We have been on the road for longer than we care to admit. This is a king's feast! Perhaps the good lady Draza would be interested in exchanging herbs from our travels?"

The dwarf girl's eyes lit up and they all scattered from the barn with much giggling and swishing skirts. They Travel By Night chuckled amongst themselves and settled in to eat.

"Mmmm," Path hummed happily as he tore into the bread, meat and cheese. Selene plucked a trailing slice of ham from the messy sandwich and Path growled mockingly. The others snickered as the human Scout pressed sloppy kisses to his smiling lover's face, stopping only when she coaxed him into a sweet kiss. The couple's rare shows of public affection were treasured by their companions. Kamryn slouched into Ingle's larger body as they ate the simple, plentiful fare. 

The Heroes weren't quite full, but close, when Draza bustled in with a pair of young men following her, toting a large wooden tub. "There is our lovely hostess," Vladik flattered and earned a wide grin.

"I take it that the food is suitable, Heroes?"

They murmured assent and shifted themselves into the stalls with their mounts so that the men could set up the big wooden tub in the stall at the end of the row. It had a close-fitting stone floor and a large drain in the center. There was an ingenious hose that trailed from a wall that had the tub full in short order. Draza handed the curious Troubadour a heavy stick with a heavy bronze knob on the end. "Press that red stone there, and the kernel of true fire in the knob will have that water hot in no time at all. Be careful, though, it will get hot enough to boil soup!" And with that friendly warning, the Adepts were left alone.

Ingle sighed as Taren gave into the tempting smell of boiled oats and honey, sticking his big nose in her bowl to finish the porridge off. Selene fed scraps of ham and roast venison to an eagerly wiggling Huff.

The normalcy of the scene stood stark contrast to the conversation of the night before. The strange threat that hung over They Travel By Night was gone for now, but Kamryn could feel it lingering amidst their combined energies. It was never far from them, never far at all.

Draza was indeed pleased to trade for some of the more exotic of Vladik's prized herbs, refilling some of the basics, which had fallen low over time. Traveling would be more pleasant now, at least come mealtime.

Ingle shooed Kamryn and Vladik out, smiling understandingly at the day-and-night couple of Selene and Path. They deserved some time alone. Besides, there were few creatures alive that enjoyed hot water more than Selene. And she understood the carnal gleam in their eyes all too well.

Vladik taunted Serulos with a flapping vest, getting the dog to bark and mock-lunge. Together, man and dog raced for a nearby lake, while Ingle smiled indulgently at the antics. Kamryn felt her heart catch at the sweet expression, and turned into her tall lover. The gesture made Ingle look down, a quizzical look on her face. It was a sweet kiss that Ingle leaned into, calming further the dark shadows on her soul.

Listening in on Frightful's thoughts, Ingle waited until the bird ceased being disturbed by the couple in the barn. It wasn't nearly often enough that the couple indulged in the vulnerability of lovemaking as far as the pragmatic Beastmaster was concerned. So she had taught Frightful to watch over them so that they could feel protected while they bonded.

Path often teased Ingle about being a voyeur, usually earning an affectionate cuff alongside the head. At least the bird didn't try to get involved, the way Serulos would, thinking it was all some glorious game. She was a wonderful dog, and the most loyal of companions, but really was not very bright.

Once the couple was asleep, Ingle called Vladik and Serulos over to let the anxious t'skrang at the water. As protective as any pack animal, Ingle calmed her instincts by peering into Huff's stall to see Scout and Illusionist curled atop a thick nest of hay, cushioned by the quiescent flying carpet, bare feet and legs peeking from beneath thin layers of bedding. Huff slept peacefully across the square space with his sharp beak turned their direction. Wet clothes hung from a line, and their weapons were in easy reach. It was enough to reassure Ingle and she returned to her lover. Elf and t'skrang laughed as they were splashed by the used water.

Soon, Vladik was as happy as a muddy hatchling, up to his nostrils and eyes in steamy water. The elves rifled through their gear to find clean clothes and wait their turn. "I think that this will the part of adventuring that I will hate," Kamryn groused as she looked down at her disheveled form. "Two days and I feel like a manure wagon."

Knowing that Vladik's happy humming was giving them some measure of privacy, Ingle leaned back onto the hay bale she had commandeered and smiled seductively. "I like you earthy."

The comment earned a wry eyebrow. "Earthy, eh? I suppose that's one way of phrasing it." Taking the enticing bait of Ingle's body relaxed and seductive, Kamryn straddled her hips and leaned in for a kiss. "And I miss your touch, my sweet."

So Ingle rested her weight on one elbow, trailing a teasing hand over Kamryn's firm musculature and soft curves. "As do I."

Vladik's great show of splashing brought Ingle's hand out of Kamryn's shirt, while the later hurriedly tried to lace up the tattooed torso. Chuckling throatily, Ingle shook off the effort. "I need to strip anyway." Vladik sighed happily as he pulled short pants over his multi-colored hide and stretched; completely unfazed that Ingle was stripping nearby.

"Ah! That was glorious. I feel like a new man. Now, you kids have fun now, I'm off to explore. Care to join me, Serulos?"

Happily, the dog did just that and the couple was alone. They quickly dumped the tub and refilled it, sinking into the water the heating stick had warmed nicely. There was much friskiness mingled with the act of cleaning. Kamryn had the strange experience of trying to hold back her staccato cries of pleasure as someone entered the barn and moved about on some errand. It was all very amusing to Ingle, watching her lover arched in ecstasy, the grip of quivering thighs tight around her hips, clenching rhythmically around exploring fingers, and yet still trying to stay civilized. With a bit more effort, involving the purring growl, a full-body embrace and a few well-placed bites, Ingle succeeded in making Kamryn forget her dignity and the barn was hastily evacuated.

Shaken and satiated, Kamryn gathered herself to return the favor, amused, annoyed and excited that Ingle made her work for it. The big woman had an impassive face on her that the Illusionist herself must have taught. It was nigh uncrackable, at last dissolving in Kamryn's amorous efforts. Arched and tense, Ingle bared her throat to her lover, pressing into the body that pleasured her so well.

Kamryn paused for a moment, her sensitive ears picking up faint sounds from nearby. Was that Selene making that kittenish mewling noise? Even as embarrassment made her falter, Ingle sensed the problem and nipped the exquisitely sensitive point of Kamryn's ear. "Take the compliment that we've aroused them too. I need you, please Kamryn."

Inhibitions were dropped like dirty clothes as Kamryn gave into her lover's plea and ignored the soft sounds of the other lovers so close by. Even as Ingle reached the peak, she roughly pinned Kamryn to the side of the half-empty tub, as maddened as a tom cat scenting a queen in heat. Scout and Beastmaster seemed to be in contest to see which spellcaster would cry out first, Selene reaching the breaking point first, but not by much.

It was the loudest Ingle had ever heard the self-contained Illusionist, making her grin. After a round of mutual giggling of embarrassed spellcasters, a blanket was thrown down in the thick hay and the couples slept close together, all naked and happy. They were startled half awake mid-day by a sleepy Vladik imperiously wedging his bulk between their two piles of bodies. Kamryn grumbled as a heavy tail draped over her hip and Serulos wiggled up against her chest and sighed contentedly.

Distant, crackling explosions startled the Adepts awake to multiple colors flashing in the darkness. Kamryn stared in terrified fascination at Ingle's tense hand, only inches from her face. The well-formed hand had blurred into a vicious, clawed paw that looked perfectly capable of disemboweling a dragon. Even as she stared, the talons faded, the sinewy paw fading back to Ingle's familiar hand. Path groaned expressively, and relaxed from where he'd sat up and grabbed his throwing axe. "Only fireworks. Passions, they scared ten years from my life."

The crackle of agitated mana faded as the spellcasters realized that the explosions were harmless. As Vladik's sword hissed back into its scabbard, they all realized that even the Troubadour had automatically reacted with violence. "The Arena is sounding better and better," the t'skrang's voiced hoarsely and rubbed his crest in agitation.

They got up and began packing up in a tense silence. It was only broken by Path snapping his belt at Ingle's rear end. With a realistic-sounding growl, the tall woman pounced on him, and they went crashing back into the bedding in a tangle of arms and legs. The rough-housing served its purpose, relaxing the group with laughter. 

Soon, the Heroes were in their best clothes, with armor once more settled over their bodies. They Travel By Night laughed and laughed as Kamryn found Serulos' brush and attacked the fluffy chimera hide. Taren seemed taken aback when he received the same treatment, only with three of them so the task went faster. Path pulled out an oilskin of polish to rub down the slick, mottled grey of Selene's seal-hide. She was flushed by the time he finished stroking her, making Ingle chortle and give the Illusionist a swat on her tail end.

After having polished and primped, Ingle even allowed Kamryn to brush out her wild blonde hair, the Heroes rode to the local fair. It was a rollicking night, with bracing drink, good food and various entertainments. Obviously still mellow from the morning's lovemaking, the spellcasters were affectionate with their mates, warm with the curious locals and even roughly combined Talents to make a spectacular show of magic for the crowd. 

There were several giggling women that dragged Vladik off for a romp, leaving his companions to evade several paramours wanting some affection despite the Adepts obviously being coupled up. They begged off and headed back to the barn in the wee hours of morning, draped all over their mates. Path and Selene found privacy high over the village, safe in the embrace of the flying carpet. Kamryn entertained herself by reversing her accustomed position on Taren's back, wrapping her legs around her larger lover and proving to be an irresistible distraction. Fortunately, Taren knew his way back to where he had slept the night before.

Much to Kamryn's amusement and mild disgust, they only made time enough to strip off Taren's barding and tack, which then made their bed. So, to the smell of horse and hairy leather, the elves loved each other until the sun was full in the sky. Only the return of the other couple settling to the hay near them disturbed their idyll. 

 

++

 

Travel was easier after the harvest festival, the monotony only broken up only by a roving band of bandits that Beastmaster, Scout and dog chased into the trees, howling madly. Kamryn looked wryly at the crude arrow that had spectacularly shattered against her armored shoulder and shook her head. Selene laughed at the look and assured the Wizard that their lives were rarely this quiet.

They Travel By Night still had not spoken of the darkness clinging to them. Every time they seemed ready to speak of it, some event would spook them and Kamryn was very nearly as jumpy as they. Two quiet nights of pushing the mounts fairly hard, finally had them on the well-used Darranis Road and the younger Adepts finally seemed to relax a little. They made camp early, slept soundly and headed north before dusk grew rosy.


	6. Chapter 6

It was Path-of-Stars that noticed it first.

"Hey look. That mountain glows on the other side. Didn't the tales say they have a lightcrystal that can be seen in Bartertown on a clear night?"

The three elves followed the Scout's pointing finger and Vladik huffed lightly in disappointment. Distractedly, Selene floated the flying carpet close to him to lay gentle fingers against his eyelids. With a few murmurs Cat's Eyes was cast and he could see as well as the rest of them.

A great jagged shape lay in the distance, only barely outlined by a faint glow from the far side. Three spires of weathered stone reached for the sky like outstretched fingers.

"The Lahala's Hand," Kamryn whispered reverently to herself. Shaking it off, she turned a grin on Vladik. "Do you know the tale of this place, o wise Troubadour?"

"Only pieces I'm afraid Why? Do you?"

"Only pieces as well. Perhaps if we pool our knowledge we can come up with a whole tale." Warm chuckles rippled around the party as the Warrior-Wizard-Boatman resettled herself in the saddle behind the Beastmaster and the Troubadour sidled his own mount in close. "Legend has it among the t'skrang of Lake Ban that the place is haunted. It's one of the reasons there have been so few t'skrang settlements this far north on the Coil River. There's an old Kaer beneath that mountain that was breached during the Scourge."

The group kindly ignored Kamryn's pause as she shuddered lightly at her own memories of a similar incident. Ingle patted her thigh and spoke in a gentle voice, "go on."

"Well, it seems a famous group of Adventurers came through here about twenty years ago and killed the monster in there. Perhaps you've heard of them? Enigma's Song?"

Suddenly Vladik practically leapt from Zoya's back in excitement. "Yes! The Lahala's Hand! I knew it sounded familiar! The fight with the Horror there was when the great Elementalist Carithan died. And it was his dream to open a learning center for all the peoples of Barsaive. I had completely forgotten that it was the remaining members of that Adventuring group that created the Arena."

"Correct. About five years ago the project started. I know because quite a lot of building and living materials were being shipped by V'strimon into Darranis. When my then-boatswain commented on it, someone in Darranis told us some fool was building a little bitty city at the base of the Lahala's Hand."

"It's Named The Arena of Learning," Ingle suddenly spoke up quietly. "Because the entire school is set up in a competitive style for the Disciplines to learn from within themselves as well as others. The Wizard Raithen and his companion the lady Leyva of Illusion and Nethermancy finished the task set by Carithan. They are both elder elves and considered the elite of their Disciplines. Rumor has it that there are magics there of a variety that no Name-Giver has ever seen." They all seemed surprised that the Beastmaster had spouted off all of that. Embarrassed and not a little put out, Ingle rubbed the back of her neck in the reflexive embarrassed gesture of hers. "Remember what I told you of my time in Throal?" Sighing at her party's obtuseness, Ingle addressed Kamryn, "after I left my first group, called the Heroes of the Passion's Design, I found myself at loose ends in Throal. Eventually a bored scribe by the Name of Garen took pity on me and put me to work in the Great Library. He said he wanted my opinion on various things and so we put it all to paper."

"Hmm," the Illusionist mused thoughtfully to herself. "I had forgotten where you learned your language skills. Not to mention that wonderfully neat hand of yours. The Great Library, eh? Honestly, I'm still impressed. No typical Beastmaster, you."

It was not often the aloof Selene so easily offered sincere compliments. Ingle accepted the words with a nod and a small grin. She jumped slightly when Kamryn dug a thumb into sensitive ribs. "I thought you said you only understood Throalic and Sperethiel."

"And I spoke only truth. I merely read and write them better than most. At least better than those who don't get a Talent for it."

Disgruntled at being teased about her Wizard Talents, Kamryn ignored the inevitable chuckles from the others.

"I also helped Garen with transcribing Adventurer's logs into something readable," Ingle continued, her face soft in memory. "Among the older entries were logs from Enigma's Song as well as other groups who have passed through the Arena in the last five years. I'm sorry I never shared any of that information with you, Vladik, it honestly never occurred to me that you didn't already know." He seemed pleased by the compliment and waved her off. "I'll do my best to remember anything useful, but they were only part of a much larger collection. Thousands of scrolls passed through my hands." Ingle stared at her calloused palms for a moment before smiling at her companions. "Sometimes I would just help the poor old man with his scribing duties. I figured the skill would be useful one day."

"Skills of language are always useful," Kamryn agreed wisely and Selene grinned in agreement. There were some things that all Disciplines of magic were in accordance on.

"Garen was a good man," the Beastmaster reminisced. "Not many high ranking dwarves would have dedicated as much time as he did to someone as unusual as me. The tutoring did wonders for my patience. It was a dark day when he passed away." The sadness evaporated after a moment as she smiled at her company. "But then I would have never joined all of you!"

Throughout the long night, They Travel By Night grew ever closer to the jagged peaks of the Lahala's Hand. As dawn approached, they made with the familiar routine of making camp at a small clearing beside the Darranis Road. After carefully checking the area out, Path announced it seemed safe enough. "Name-Givers have stayed here before and there are no signs of trouble. Well, nothing out of the ordinary anyway."

"Wonderful," Vladik groused mockingly. "Is that supposed to make us feel better?"

As the sky grew ever rosier, Vladik prepared stew while Selene and Path went to find fresh water and perform the Scout's Karma Ritual, which consisted of blindfolding him, dropping him off some distance away and seeing if he could find his way back. 

"I suppose I should perform my own come dusk," Ingle commented as she set up her tent, shooing Serulos off when the dog tried to help, only to knock the whole contraption down. "I've grown lazy since…"

Both Vladik and Kamryn looked over as her voice choked off, unsurprised to see her rubbing at the bracers. Once more, Kamryn let the matter lie. The Adventurers were not Horror-touched, on that she had already staked her life. In time they would find the courage to move past their fear.

Sheer luck enabled Kamryn to spot some leafy tuber plants as she was digging the latrine. Quickly, she finished her unwelcome task before digging up the roots with her hands. "Vladik! I've found potatoes. Looks like nearly a dozen of them."

"Wonderful! With some herbs from mother's pouch we should have better eating than the last two nights."

Tents put up, warm food in their bellies and safe together as a unit, They Travel By Night prepared for another day of rest. Towards mid-day Kamryn was jolted out of her light doze by the sounds of approaching wagons. Elbowing the Beastmaster, she crept to the edge of the road. Some minutes later a winding train made its laborious way over the crest of a low hill. Almost disappointed, Kamryn soothed down her Warrior's reactions and turned away with a sigh.

"Only a merchant caravan. Four wagons, five guards, draft horses. I suppose it's time to wake the boys."

It took a moment for the elder elf to realize that she was talking to no one. Ingle had gone to the middle of the road and was standing in plain sight of the approaching caravan. With her furry hide armor half unlaced and completely weaponless, the tall elf made an interesting sight.

"Greetings Name-Givers!"

Hesitating between standing beside the Beastmaster and guarding the camp, Kamryn heard the others come awake at the shout. Every eye in the caravan snapped to Ingle and she smiled winningly. Slowly she approached with empty hands loose at her sides and stopped just short of the lead horses.

"I am Ingle, keeper of the Beasts. My companions are camped nearby. Your beasts seem tired and in need of a rest. Might I invite you to join us for a drink in the shade? It's far warmer today than I would have expected from the cool of last night."

While she spoke, Ingle had removed a small piece of wood from her pouch and let the strangers take a good look at it. With a thought, her right index finger blurred into a cruel claw, which she used to carve the little block. After a minute she tossed the figure to the lead guardsman and waited patiently. After a moment he smiled crookedly and handed it over to the wagon driver.

"It's old Cloppy there; see the crooked blaze on his forehead? And the way that ugly forelock of his falls over his eyes?"

The big dun gelding they were comparing the carving to reached out a heavy head to sniff the woman blocking his path. Something about her scent made him nervous, the smell of musky predators, but so faint he was not certain of his fear. The younger mare yoked in beside him was waiting for his reaction before deciding on her own. Immediately, Ingle invoked a Talent Knack she had taught herself years ago. Animal Trust washed over the big gelding and reinforced that Ingle meant him nor his herd any harm. Satisfied, he gave into his curiosity and sniffed her over.

"Well, Ingle, Keeper of Beasts, Cloppy here don't care for just anyone, so you have my vote of confidence. Name's Kessell, pleased to meet ya. This here's Tombo, my head guardsman. Come on over here and I'll be pleased to show you the most recent additions I've made to my map."

Ingle patted Cloppy and hauled herself up the side of the wagon to examine Kessell's map. A gnarled hand sketched a little design in the corner while she watched. Then she grinned at the weathered human with genuine warmth as his delicate drawing confirmed he bore no Horror taint.

Neither Selene nor Ingle's great warhorse seemed pleased with the sudden addition of the smelly, noisy caravan. But Path and Vladik and the dog were delighted with the company, particularly when two small human children peeked out from the merchandise in the largest cart. Taren was placated with a bucket of moist grain laden with fresh molasses from the caravan, and Selene with sweet, cool berry juice one of the children shyly offered her.

They traded song and stories and what little news they had. Kamryn was astonished to watch her new companions interact with these common folk. They too, seemed faintly surprised at how the Adepts interacted with them, like there was no difference in status or experience or race. Ingle talked horse-care with the three guardsmen and explained Huff to all of them and the curious children while Vladik swapped recipes with Tombo's wife and Kessell. Path poured over all of the maps between the two groups, making notes on his and pointing things out to the merchants. He respectfully did not mark on theirs. Selene wove ghostly pictures to Vladik's outrageous tales, but was otherwise aloof. 

The very normalcy of the scene reassured Kamryn's frayed nerves, helping seal that ragged end the way that fire would bind the tufted fibers of rope. These were honorable folk, these young Adventurers, no matter the fineness of their magic Items and the scars they bore, inside and out. 

Not up to telling the tale of the armor wrapped around her small body again, Kamryn kept her most distinctive Items hidden beneath her bright V'strimon colors. She even ended up bartering furiously with Kessel's wife over clothing and a few odds and ends. She was invigorated and pleased with the results of the heated exchange. The others seemed bemused and slightly uncomprehending of the intricacies of the haggle. All except Vladik, who was teary-eyed with admiration. "Mother would be so proud," he simpered and Kamryn cuffed his shoulder fondly.

"Scamp."

Wanting to behave like honorable Adepts, the group agreed to accompany Kessel's caravan to the fork in the Darranis Road where they would go on to the Arena. They would use part of the night to travel, and part of the next day. As night fell and dinner filled hungry bellies, the attention of the Name-Givers naturally fell to the Troubadour. The children lay on their bellies at his feet, enraptured by the t'skrang man, while the others lounged nearby, alone or in couples. 

With a little prodding, Vladik rattled the merchant's memories of tales of They Travel By Night. Now his stories were even better to his enraptured new audience, for they were in the presence of the very Adepts who had lived those same tales!

Kamryn was nearly asleep against Ingle's ribs, night full and black around the cheery campfire, when Vladik's voice took on a somber, almost fearful note that caught her attention. "… and there, beneath the earth laired a creature of such darkness and foulness that its very shape was indefinable. We four stood as tiny ants against the torrents of floodwaters, hope and the presence of the others our only defense against the creature. The very earth around us shuddered in fear and disgust around we four and our enemy. A dark time indeed as we faced our greatest challenge there in the darkness."

Ingle had grown very still, like a hunted animal and Kamryn's nerves tensed in reaction. 

This is what scared them so, the events of Vladik's aborted story. They were all still, as if they were waiting for something horrible to happen. Even the non-Adepts were picking up on the tension.

Centuries of honing her multiple Disciplines had made Kathryn particularly astute to such things.

It took real effort for Vladik to swallow his crippling fear and beam winningly down at the frightened children. "Well then, enough of that. Darkness is a bad place for scary stories. Have you ever heard of Greenham the Sahm?" Tentatively, the children shook their heads, still frightened, but game to let the Troubadour lead their imaginations in a much happier direction.

Even as Vladik did his fool best to distract, his party mates remained shaken. Reviewing the words that he had begun to say, Kamryn realized that she had been correct that it was a Horror that had left such shadows on the young Adepts souls.

Not that the confirmation was any surprise. Adepts attracted trouble and Horrors were the worst sort of trouble. Those foul creatures would see these powerful pups as easy targets. Kamryn hoped that They Travel By Night had shown the Horrors the error of underestimating them. 

In time, the children calmed and the merchants were more asleep than awake. The Troubadour coaxed them off to their beds and the Adepts were left alone in the night. Some silences are comforting, but this one was anything but. Vladik poked at the fire, his normally cheerful face tense and pensive. Path and Ingle were also edgy, fingers flexed, eyes flickering at every shadow and sound.

But it was Selene who looked the most unraveled. Kamryn realized that an Illusionist would have the most objections to being manipulated by the foul creatures that had ravaged the world so recently.

 

++

 

The merchants were delighted with both the company and the additional protection of the Adepts, even as they were not particularly happy with the lack of sleep. The Adepts were just as weary and Ingle and Selene found a place to curl up like kittens in the back of a wagon while Kamryn commandeered patient Taren. He was accustomed to the idiosyncrasies of his Name-Giver companions and took the sudden change in riders calmly. Serulos trailed behind her master's wagon while Frightful wheeled lazily overhead.

Vladik worked his way among the wagons to further familiarize himself with each and every Name-Giver in the caravan. While his sensitive skin was uncomfortable on the dry, dusty road, he was determined to be at his best. Selene buried her face into Ingle's back and tried to ignore the ache in her nearly day-blind eyes and the uncomfortable heat of her seal hide armor as the day grew ripe around them. She was far too uncomfortable to sleep and tried to at least relax against the larger elf. As though sensing her discomfort, Path coaxed Huff over to the wagon.

"Hey," he whispered gently. "Can I help you with anything?"

Irrationally annoyed with his obvious concern, Selene ignored him and wondered why she was being so emotional lately. The power of the bright sun had that effect on her, that was all. Couple that with all the stress since… Shaking off that dark thought, Selene turned her mind back to her sweet lover. Poor, endlessly patient Path-of-Stars had always been good to her, tolerating all of her idiosyncrasies with placid calm. Human or no, he was an excellent match to her personality and Selene knew it. Needing him close suddenly, Selene clumsily clambered out of the wagon and, curled up in his strong arms, she was at last able to sleep. Shortly afterward, Ingle woke and shooed Vladik and Kamryn off to get some rest. She had both of them hand over their armor to be cleaned and shined up as best as the Beastmaster was able.

They would want to look their best for the Arena of Learning.

The Lahala's Hand glowed a bit brighter that night. It was the head guardsman, Tombo that provided the explanation. He seemed amused to suddenly be put in Vladik's usual position, but the Troubadour listened as intently as the others.

"See, the Adepts that started the Arena pulled out the great lightcrystal from that nasty kaer nearby. Passions-only-know-how, but they stuck it right into the side of the mountain and put a right nice pattern of smaller stones 'round it. On a clear night you can see it twinkle when standin' on the outskirts of Bartertown."

They seemed skeptical at that last comment.

"Bartertown is a four days walk away," Selene very nearly scoffed. "How could you see a lightcrystal that far away?"

Unfazed by the Illusionist's disbelief, Tombo gestured at the shadowy peaks.

"The big one's called the Heart Crystal. It's set in the stone 'bout two hundred feet up and slowly changes all the colors of the rainbow."

Path stared hard at the Lahala's Hand with a mapmaker's eye. "Those peaks must be at least a thousand feet tall and even wider than that at the base. If the lightcystal is set only two hundred feet up the face and that much light still bleeds around the edges…"

"I see you understand now," Tombo chuckled as Path's eyes widened. The others left it at that.


	7. Chapter 7

Once again, they slept only part of the night, the restlessness of the Adepts goading the caravan into movement long before dawn. As the sky began its early morning lightshow, a distant roar grew slowly louder and louder.

"That must be the Coil River," Kamryn commented after listening hard in the quiet of their lunch stop. "I've never been this far north." A grin to her fellow Adepts made them smile. "Shivorams are not built for rapids, what with a keel and all, and a standard ship like the Intrepid would have never been able to come this far. The trench the river runs through is so steep and narrow, that there are no real communities to speak of." Her expression went thoughtful. "I vaguely remember tales of how a few mad captains made deliveries to the Lahala's Hand. Probably all t'skrang jikhara, anyway."

The towering edifice of the Lahala's hand was a strange sight to the Heroes. Kessel wandered over and pointed out the shapes. There were three pointed tips of stone peering over the low mountains and foothills of the southernmost end of the Throal Mountain range. "Those are the peaks, just there now. Next morning, we'll see it clear. By nightfall, I'll reckon that we'll part ways, Heroes."

He was correct in his guesses, and as they traveled from night to dawn, the massive edifice of the Lahala's Hand gleamed in the rosy sun. It was a pale, almost yellowish rock that did, indeed bear an uncanny resemblance to a great stone hand reaching for the skies. Like Vladik and all t'skrang, there were only three fingers. Certainly, there was no thumb on the rocky upthrust, but a boulder stub gave the hint of one.

"How is it that none of us have ever been this way before?" Path wondered to himself as the Heroes stared in wonderment of the amazing sight.

"Never walked this stretch of road," Ingle commented softly and the others merely nodded.

As dusk began to fall, they had nearly come completely around the mountain. Eager to see the lightcrystal, the men wanted to press ahead, but the animals were tired and the Beastmaster stared them down.

"No. They already push themselves too hard for us when we need it. I'll not push them when we have the option to rest."

Guiltily, they went off to care for their beasts like proper travelers. While they tended to that, the spellcasters set up their small camp near the merchants.

"Well I suppose that's one good thing about all these smelly strangers," Selene commented with feigned nonchalance once the others had gathered. Path flashed a curious look from beneath his ragged mane of sunshine hair.

"We don't have to build our own fire."

With a chuckle, the Scout took a quick glace around with Astral Sight and nuzzled up affectionately to the Illusionist-Thief. 

"Soon we'll be traveling only during the comforting hours of night again."

"I think you prefer the dark as much as I."

"I think perhaps you are correct."

They chuckled together as the others pointedly ignored their private exchange. None of the merchants seemed to understand Sperethiel even if they had been paying any attention. It was disheartening that they were all so filthy and not a little disgruntled about it. Both of the men's chainmail suits were dusty and dark patches had appeared on them. Ingle's tawny fur and Selene's smooth seal hide looked dry and neglected, no matter how much attention Kamryn paid the skins.

"I'll need the services of an armorer when we reach the Arena," Path mused as he looked at a ragged place in the chain mail. "This patch job won't last another serious fight. Not that you didn't do a great job, Vladik, Kamryn."

They acknowledged his comments with a nod and the former went back to examining his broadsword. "That damned Horror seems to have dinged Heartsplitter here. I believe we both need repair work, eh Scout?"

The mention of the Silver-tongued made They Travel By Night pause and look at one another with barely disguised fear. Would they forever wonder if they had really killed it this time? Or would they forever live in terror that it would find them again? They looked from the merchants to Kamryn, who kept her expression neutral. This was no place to discuss Horrors.

The sobered Adepts spiced up the merchant's hearty food with Vladik's herbs and haggled for a few last minute items in the wagons. After only a few stories it was obvious Vladik's heart was not in it, so beds were occupied early. 

The travelers slept that night beneath the ghostly flickering colors from the Lahala's Hand. Path wanted to remain awake to admire the stunning display, but Ingle and Selene glared him off to the bedding for some much-needed sleep.

While the sun was high overhead, they came across a split in the road. The whole of the Darranis Road was marked with stone monoliths standing about Ingle's lanky height. On each, various distances had been carved into them. This spot was different. Not far from the most recent of the distance-keeping monoliths, were two sentinels at the mouth of a new road that wound away into the foothills of the Throalic Mountains. They Travel By Night bid the merchants farewell and stood at the statues. They were a stern-faced man with a cane and a mischievously smiling woman. They had the look of elves but their ears were hidden beneath stone hair.

"The man's pedestal says, 'welcome to those who wish to learn.' And the woman's, 'beyond is a place of tolerance and safety.' Excellent, let's go" Caught up in the Scout's enthusiasm, they bid the main road farewell and moved past the statues and up the well-kept road. It wound in great curves deep into the vast foothills at the base of the towering Throalic Mountains. At last they came to a break in the rolling hills and could see the Lahala's Hand in all its glory.

"Wow," Vladik breathed and they all silently agreed. Like jagged fingers the three peaks clawed at the blue sky, even more impressive from this angle. Then the huge lightcrystal glittered at them in the warm sunlight.

"I can hardly wait to see that thing glittering in the dark and much closer to us," Selene commented as she squinted from beneath a raised hand. The sun was aggravating her worse than normal. Once again, Selene pushed away her concerns. Even as the group murmured agreement to her comment, vast clouds rolled over the mountains like a stampede of fluffy sheep.

"Curious," Kamryn murmured as the temperature began to drop alarmingly and the skies darkened. "Changes like this never bode well."

"Curse it," Vladik groused as Zoya danced in agitation from the weather. "Not only are we going to show up at the Arena looking like ruffians, we're also going to be soaking wet."

Path scampered up the closest hill and peered around the darkening landscape. By the time he returned to the group, they were busy ensuring their things were secure in various saddlebags and backpacks. "There's no shelter. These hills are rolling and will do nothing but funnel wind into gales, and there's a massive plain just beyond. The Arena is at the far end, I could see the road."

"How far?" Ingle asked as she tugged Frightful's hood over her head, despite the bird's vocal objections. "There's something wrong with this storm. Something unnatural."

"I agree. Both spellcasters are tense, even more than we."

The man was right, the smaller elven women looked unnerved by the freakish weather that seemed bent on a very quick start to winter.

"Stay close to them, and cover Huff with your heavy sleeping blanket in case we get hail."

"Done!"

As fast as the temperature had been falling, it plummeted suddenly like a stone dropped from an airship, turning the breath of Name-giver and beast alike to white. Even as Ingle hurriedly used her own belt and some frayed rope to tie her sleeping rug to Serulos' cowering frame, the approaching storm roared over the towering Throalic peaks like a starving bear and was upon them. 

Rain was like an attack, a blinding, freezing, stinging progression of sheeting, liquid ice. Each rider went to their mount's head, holding those powerful skulls to their own bodies. 

Like an enraged monster the storm tore at beast and Name-Giver alike. The Heart Crystal flickered intermittently through the gloom that was nearly as thick as midnight. 

Ingle stayed at Taren's head with Frightful pressed, trembling, against her ribs and Kamryn clinging to her waist. At Taren's side, Selene plodded along with her hand on Serulos' head. Right at her back was Zoya and Vladik, the mare with her reins tied securely to Taren's saddle. Last was sturdy Huff roped to Zoya with Path keeping a secure grip on the huttawa's halter. Lightning began shattering down from the roiling clouds as the shrieking wind tried to toss the party like leaves.

Poor Vladik huddled as best he could in his dwarven winternight cloak. He was little prepared for this kind of weather as a t'skrang. Kamryn was little better prepared, as most of her life had been spent underground or in the southern parts of Barsaive. Even the others were beginning to become affected, despite each having experience with bitter cold. The far north had some incredible storms, but it had been many years since Selene had been home to experience them. Having been trained in the highlands of the Tylon Mountains, Path-of-Stars had also seen his share of storms, but this was insane. Only Ingle's Talent of Endure Cold kept the weather from affecting her concentration on the frightened animals. The rain was so violent it was actually becoming painful. There was magic at work here, there was no doubt in any mind. Perhaps an angry air elemental? At the moment they did not care.

When they at last they crested the foothills, the little train halted. There was still so much distance between them and the lightcrystal flickering in the gloom! Beast and Name-Giver alike huddled up against the maddened elements.

"We can't cross those flats in this," Ingle shouted over the howl of the storm. "That lightning will kill us!"

"Wait! Look at that!" At Selene's bidding, they turned to watch as a bolt arched to the foothills with a deafening thunderclap. But a tall pole intercepted it before it could strike the ground. "Lightning always strikes the tallest point it can!"

Another bolt illuminated hundreds of the poles standing sentinel over the road leading to the Arena. As frightening as the idea of wandering out into open ground was at this moment, staying here was even worse. 

"Tie yourselves to the horses and shorten the lengths between Zoya and Huff! I need them tied so close together they can't turn their heads!"

While the others obeyed, Ingle burrowed into her saddlebags and came up with lengths of cloth and rope. Praying for the animal's forgiveness, Ingle stared hard into Zoya's terrified eyes. After a moment, the half-magic Talent of Calm Beast took effect and the mare let the Beastmaster securely tie a long strip of cloth around her eyes. The same was done to Huff, as well as a makeshift muzzle around his sharp beak. Kamryn faked a quick muzzle went on the cowering Serulos and a rope halter that kept the gold dog close to Taren's side. As the others finished adding themselves to the complicated mess, Ingle tied a rope around her middle to keep the miserable Frightful in the winternight cloak. Lastly Taren's reins were tied around her shoulders and she looked back at her wide-eyed companions. 

"Shall we?"

When the Beastmaster moved into the chaos, Taren obediently followed and the rest of them had little choice but to go with his powerful bulk. With a combined weight of some three tons, they still felt the wind tug unmercifully at them.

From the best stock of horseflesh Taren had been bred. He was smart, strong and loyal. But this was hard on him as the rain stung his eyes and the stench of lightning choked his lungs. Only his mutual adoration and trust with this one Name-Giver gave him the strength to obey her wishes even as his instincts screamed at him to run away. Even when the lightning flashed down so close he could feel its heat through the paralyzing cold, did he do little more than flinch. With his neck curled around Ingle's body and her arms wrapped around his fine head, they braved the storm together. They in turn gave the others strength. The others of his herd stank of fear and exhaustion, but they did not hesitate more than the random startle.

For an eternity, They Travel By Night braved the elements gone insane. Then as suddenly as it had begun, the storm began to dissipate. And only then did they realize that they had arrived at the Arena of Learning. 

There was a low wall not a dozen paces away with a human-sized figure standing sentinel at a wide opening. Eyes burning from the stinging water, fingers and face numb with cold, Ingle peered into the still-inhospitable night. Was is truly night? The rainbow light from the crystal grew in strength, as the weather became once again merely wind and rain. Was the shadowy figure shouting something? Actually, he was jogging closer, he and another. With effort Ingle pried stiff fingers from Taren's sodden halter and pushed her dripping hair away from her eyes.

"By Garlen's healing skirts, what are you doing out in this madness?" shouted a disbelieving male voice.

"Someone told me there was this fascinating lightcrystal I just had to see," Ingle replied dryly and the man stopped in his tracks.

For a moment, he could only stare in astonishment at her deadpan expression before he exploded into incredulous laughter. "Well no need to ask if you're Horror-touched, traveler. Anyone who can come up with a joke after braving that storm has a better sense of humor than I can ever hope to have. Welcome to the Arena of Learning."

With a gesture, the grizzled ork led them past the wall and over to a large, round building. There were other structures that loomed indistinctly in the gloom, but the Adventurers took little notice. There was a sudden flurry of activity in the barracks the ork led them into. Well-trained soldiers scrambled to obey the ork's shouted orders. The ropes were so swollen from the rain that the guardsmen had to cut them away. There was a roaring fire in the barracks and the troops were kind enough to make room for the shivering animals inside. Even poor Frightful was utterly drenched beneath the weather-proof cloak where the driving water had snuck in. All the guardsmen jumped back when she spread her wings and screeched her distress and disapproval. Uncaring of her own comfort, Ingle cooed softly to the little bird and smoothed the disheveled feathers. Eagerly, the guardsmen helped strip the beasts of barding and tack before gathering loose cloth and rubbing them down. Only Taren seemed annoyed by the touch of strangers, but was far too tired to do anything more than glare. Only after they were as comfortable as possible, did the Adepts realize how miserable they were. Hot tea and stew met with the Adventurer's approval while warmed oat mash soothed the horses and meat scraps pleased Serulos and Huff. Warm, dry clothes were found and offered willingly to the newcomers. 

"There's stones heating in the stables sir," a youth announced as she came in from the wind. The grizzled ork gave her a nod and turned shrewd eyes on the newcomers.

"Name's Brijova, captain of the night shift, pleased to meet you."

As the tall elf seemed to be the only one with strength enough to give him the attention he deserved, he went to her. Much to his surprise she grasped his forearm in a strong grip and spit to the left. Impressed by the respect given his race, Brijova did the same and thumped her soundly in the shoulder.

"Forgive me for not returning the gesture as I lack the strength," the tattooed elf said calmly and gave his arm a squeeze. "But you can rest assured I will at the earliest possible opportunity."

Stoic old Brijova actually laughed at the spirit in the silver-eyed stranger.

"Well met, Beastmaster, well met indeed. What do I call you?"

After introducing herself and her party, Ingle told him their Group Name and he looked thoughtful.

"Sorry Heroes, don't know your tales. Now then, don't look so crestfallen. I'm not the type to listen to stories. They'll be those here who know of you. Now take a moment to show me you're free from the Horror's taint and we'll let you rest."

Wearily Vladik cleared his throat and broke into a quiet song that Ingle began to hum along to while she carved. Grateful for her help, he began to weave an impromptu harmony around the notes. Path dragged himself over to his bags and fished out paper and quill, needle and thread. Without looking at one another's work, Selene and Path each made a quick impression of the Lahala's Hand. One was done in ink, the other in neat stitches on the corner of someone's bed sheets. Kamryn decided that she could easily sacrifice a silver to the cause of proving her free of Horror taint and did a quick impression of Frightful's spectacular escape from Ingle's cloak. Only then did Brijova gentle. 

"Aye Name-Givers, thanks for your patience with our suspiciousness. Sleep now and tomorrow we'll find someone to show you around."

"Thank you."

Wet gear had been hung carefully in the stables near the dozing animals when Ingle went to check on them. With Frightful perched on the headboard of the simple frame bed, Serulos on one side of her, Kamryn the other and her companions close by, she at last slept.

 

++

 

It was Serulos' sensitive ears that detected someone approaching. The human woman started a bit when the dog's golden head shot up. When her eyes flickered up, silver and metal-blue eyes stared back.

"Umm, good morning, I'm Ione. Brijova asked me to see to you when you woke. It's near dusk and I was beginning to wonder if any of you would ever stir."

Now they all had their gazes trained on the soldier in their midst. Even Frightful, who suddenly warbled urgently.

"Ah, I know that sound; the universal language of hunger," Path chuckled and stroked Selene's head where she was sprawled over him. Vladik gave an impressive yawn and stretched like a cat. He flashed his most winning smile at the human where she stood with her arms crossed and a look of tolerant amusement.

"We're pleased to meet you, Ione. Truly. We just don't have much energy after last night."

"Well, perhaps food will rouse you."

That got Troubadour, Warrior and Beastmaster up, but Selene cuddled into Path and made no move to rise. Curious and a touch concerned, Path hugged her tightly and nuzzled the midnight hair.

"What's troubling you my lovely one?" he asked softly in her peculiar dialect of Sperethiel. For a moment she merely listened to his steady heart and basked in his quiet adoration. It had been difficult but rewarding to let this unusual human into her heart. He was loyal and comforting and incredibly good at reading her subtle moods. It was not in her nature to be honest. Except with him.

"I don't feel well," Selene admitted reluctantly and felt the nausea deep in her gut. "It's worse than usual."

With a silent curse she realized what she had said. No one knew that the gut aches had been plaguing her on and off for some days now. It must be at least two weeks since she had noticed them. Path's comforting hand paused in its stroking for a moment before resuming. 

"Oh? Perhaps we should ask if they have a shrine to Garlen here."

There was nothing but calmness in his even voice, but Selene was an experienced Illusionist. Tension and worry threaded through the words and it occurred to her how challenging it had become to read him. Almost as though he was doing it entirely for her benefit. He was certainly silly enough with Vladik and Ingle when he wanted to be. Even Kamryn, so new to their group, was becoming his friend. The thought warmed her at the further proof of his respect for her and her Disciplines. So she rewarded him with unexpected compliance.

"Good idea, only I don't want to move."

"Me either, but Vladik will want to begin exploring as soon as possible," Path chuckled. "After we see the Questors, we'll find a nice inn, take a hot bath and I'll treat you to a massage. Agreed?"

"Sounds divine, I'm up."

Only it was not that simple. As soon as she sat up, Selene felt her empty stomach rebel irritably. With an effort of iron will the spellcaster clamped down on the urge until it passed. Only then did her breathing ease and she met Path's concerned blue eyes.

"Definitely no breakfast today."

Kamryn had lingered, and eyed her fellow spellcaster curiously, but said nothing.

Outside the barracks was a brilliant sunset silhouetting the jagged peaks of the Lahala's Hand. It was a sight worth lingering over, and the Adepts found a grassy corner to sit and watch the spectacle. As the skies painted themselves brilliant shades of gold and red and blue, the spectacular faceted sheen of the massive Heart Crystal grew brighter and brighter. Soon the rainbow of sky was outshone by the multi-colored twinkle of the crystal. It was so massive and so bright that it cast a cool glow over the little city it watched over.

"That was lovely," Vladik sighed dreamily where he had sprawled out in the grass to rest his head on Ingle's leg. The Beastmaster hummed agreement and gave his crest a last, fond stroke and a squeeze to Kamryn, held to her side. All of them sighed in relaxed pleasure of the Heart Crystal, the completing of their journey, and the return of night.

"Time to explore," Path chortled happily and rubbed his hands together like a greedy merchant.

"Quite a show, eh? Come on then, I'm to give you the tour as best as can be done in the dark," came the voice of the soldier woman who had helped them out earlier. The Adepts smiled warmly at Ione as she joined them. She had been lounging against the round building chatting with others in the casual uniform of Arena security. "Your animals are fed and brushed out, your armor tended and waiting for you."

"You needn't have gone to that trouble," Ingle protested mildly and deliberately ignored Selene's 'says you' look. Ione merely chuckled.

"It was a good task for the apprentices. Especially all that chimera fur. Your warhorse was a good challenge for them, but they managed to make him presentable."

Frightful screeched urgently at the Beastmaster, but her poor feathers were still in no condition for flight. "Poor baby," Ingle cooed at the stressed bird, rubbing her fingers through the mangled feathers. "We'll have you back in top condition soon enough."

The mounts were grateful to see their Name-Giver friends and eager to be out of the confining stable barracks. Much to the surprise of the Adepts, their clothing had been expertly washed, and was folded neatly in a big, soft pile. Ione once again explained working the apprentices for good effect.

The Adepts felt better for a very quick scrub and their cleaned gear. When Kamryn made a discrete suggestion to the others about donating some gold to the headquarters of the guardsmen's outfit, the others were in complete agreement. Barding, tack and gear was strapped to Taren, Huff and Zoya, even as the Name-Givers decided to walk. Except for Selene, who unrolled her beloved flying carpet and drifted beside Path.

Not a dozen yards away from where they had watched the sunset, was a building from which music and voices drifted out. It was a siren song to the Troubadour, but he restrained himself for the sake of exploration. There were other buildings flanking the first, their contours curvy and sensual. Additional circular layouts lay further towards the mountain done in all shapes and heights. In the changing light of the Heart Crystal, it was difficult to make out the true colors of any of the buildings or the many Name-Givers moving among them.

"That's the Artisan's or Blue Ring," Ione suddenly volunteered as they walked to the building with the voices. "All types of art are practiced there. The round building we just left is the Public or Green Ring. Where those skinny towers jut up from between the crescent shaped structures? That's the Yellow Ring where the beasts are housed. On your right is our grand achievement, the Rainbow Pavilion. It sits a thousand Name-Givers, twice that number if they're friendly. Behind all this are three more Rings and another, smaller Stadium pretty much devoted to animal training and showmanship."

It was Kamryn's sensitive nose that picked it up first. Testing the air currents just as Serulos would do, she began to wander along the fence that was the Blue Ring's boundary. The others followed curiously.

"What is it Kamryn?" Selene asked with amusement.

"The irresistible smell of t'skrang cooking. It's been too long. No offense meant Vladik."

"None taken," the Troubadour laughed as they came around the curve of the Artisan's Ring and caught sight of another Ring. Ione chuckled at their expressions.

"That's the Purple Ring. It has far too many nicknames for me to list them all off."

Half the Ring was a perfect crescent moon of two-story building full of evenly spaced windows and doors and archways. But the other half was as if someone had given a hatchling a set of mismatched blocks and asked the child to complete the circle as best they could. All manner of height, width, color and dimension, the collection was a delightful, if slightly jarring, jumble of chaos. The tallest structure they had seen yet in the complex rose up in the center of the Ring with a tall flagpole jutting up from its pointed roof. Dozens of t'skrang swarmed about on their business. 

"It's wonderful," Kamryn breathed out, earning smiles from her companions.


	8. Chapter 8

It was in the bustle surrounding the purple ring that Selene asked the one thing that all the inhabitants of the Arena of Learning seemed to have in common. 

"Ione? Why does everyone wear knotted cords on their shoulders?"

"It's a rank and identification system that Raithen, our founder, created. It cuts down on confusion. Look here."

With a gesture, Ione called the Adept's attention to her left shoulder. There were two cords of gray-green and silver hanging together in a loop about the size of her palm. A round clip with an open eye carved on it held the cords to her jacket. There were several baubles dangling from it.

"This color green means that I'm security, associated with the Green Ring, and the silver cord with no knots means I'm fifth rank."

"Rank?" Vladik asked politely, impressed with such a simple, elegant system. A sly grin curled Ione's face.

"Just as you Adepts have a means of advancing through circles, we mundanes advance by gaining rank. Our peers and an elected council in each Ring judge us when we think we're ready. There's also an Arena council that makes decisions for the whole of this place and they wear a rainbow cord. Most of the people that live here use these pins to show what they do. Mine means the ever-watchful eye of security. The danglies mean various things to my co-workers but little to those outside our ranks." 

"Fascinating," Selene mused to herself but was interrupted by a voice behind them.

"Greetings, handsome strangers," a female voice called out and They Travel By Night turned as a collective entity. If ever there was a beauty truly worthy of the title breathtaking, then this exquisite creature was it. She had pale hair carefully coiled close to her pointed ears and mysterious eyes in the shifting light. Her clothes were practical but crafted by a master's hand. With a rare, sensual ease she approached the Adventurers and smiled enigmatically. Beside them, Ione's body language had changed inexplicably, but they could not figure out why.

"Frightening t'skrang," the newcomer purred, "why does your tail lie still with menace? Have we offended?"

Vladik glanced down at his tail that Kamryn had not even noticed was, indeed, lying still, a sure sign of an agitated t'skrang. Then he pulled himself up and smiled at the woman.

"There is no menace to me, beautiful maiden, nor my tail. My dwarven mother was never happy when the end of me caused even more damage than the front! Around mixed Name-Givers, I fall back to old habits."

It explained much to Kamryn, who had noticed that Vladik's tail was the calmest of any t'skrang she had ever met, and she had known literally thousands of them.

"You are the most colorful dwarf I've ever met," the beautiful stranger chuckled prettily. By this time she stood well within the t'skrang's reach and offered a delicate hand. Immediately Vladik took the offering and bowed gallantly.

"Pleased to meet you o fair one. I am…"

"Wait," she suddenly cut him off and gentled at their looks of surprise for her rudeness. "I merely wanted to see if I could guess."

Immediately they relaxed and she chuckled. Those clever eyes swung over to Ingle and the tall Beastmaster instantly stiffened. There were no illusions as to who was most distinctive in the small party. With body language both demanding and supplicating, the woman eased into Ingle's personal space and boldly met the silver eyes. There was a long moment as the shorter elf searched the piercing gaze for something. Then suddenly she seemed to shudder lightly and stepped a pace back. There was an expression on the pale woman that looked almost like fear or confusion or… awe? The others of They Travel by Night traded curious glances as the stranger shook it off and grinned again. Kamryn was shocked to feel a hot flare of jealousy.

"You are of course, the Beastmaster, Ingle. Scattered tales have been told of you for some time. Hard to miss those beautiful examples of Enduring Art. And of course that confirms who I thought the rest of you were. Welcome, They Travel By Night." The enigmatic eyes shifted to where Kamryn had hung back from the other Adepts to stand with Serulos. "You are five now?"

"Sort of," Ingle acknowledged, still puzzled at the woman's reaction to her. The stranger returned her attention with a graceful smile, but the newcomers could not help but notice that she did not quite meet Ingle's eye.

"I am Leyva. Welcome to the Arena of Learning. You are exactly the kind of Adepts that we are always happy to see."

There was shock on their faces and she reveled in it. Her legendary status was a legend in itself, the tales of her group still widely told. Only Ingle seemed unimpressed, merely ducking her head slightly in a gesture of respect. Again Leyva shrugged off the unsettling feelings the elven Beastmaster was calling up, not to mention the carefully banked glower of the small elf in the background.

"Pleased to meet you Leyva," Ingle spoke softly in a tone designed to thrum across skin and echo through bone and muscle and heart. It had the desired effect as Leyva's shadowy eyes widened. Carefully, Ingle ran a caressing finger over the four knotted cords at her shoulder. "Ione has explained her rank. May I inquire to yours?"

Uncharacteristically flustered, Leyva tore her eyes away from Ingle's silver gaze and watched the callused fingers caress the colorful strings. Passions, this one had animal magnetism! The joke brought a smile to Leyva's lips and she once again braved the curious and teasing silver eyes.

"The two longest are black and gold to show I am an Adept in two Disciplines. The orange and gold is my rank in the Heart Ring, where most of the administrative duties take place. The silver and rose tells that I am a Questor."

Realizing that the paler woman had only half answered the question, Ingle allowed her mild dissatisfaction to color her eyes a darker shade. Leyva's grin deepened and Ingle found herself fascinated by the tiny lines radiating from the eyes she suddenly realized were green. There was a small interrupting throat clearing that made the mutually fascinated elves glance over. The blasé look on Vladik's face was very well practiced… and a complete farce. He was growing concerned over Kamryn's tension, and entirely aware of why she was so agitated. The newcomer in their ranks had never witnessed Ingle turn on her considerable charm. Well, she had, but only as the recipient!

"Would you care to join us Lady Leyva?" Vladik stepped up beside his teammate, subtly elbowing her aside. Ingle looked mildly taken aback, and completely amused by him. "There must be few who know this place better than you."

"Dear Vladik, there are none who know this place better than I."

Ione seemed taken aback, but willing to add Leyva to their little expedition. So the pale elf tucked a hand into the crook of Vladik's arm and proceeded to tell the newcomers of the glories of this very personal project. With promises of returning to sample the t'skrang kitchens when the dinner rush had slowed, Leyva persuaded her companions to take a basic tour. 

As they moved towards the cliff, Selene shared a significant look with her lover and squeezed his arm before she floated the carpet over to Ingle. "You're flirting," she commented conversationally and received an askance look.

"Am I?"

"It certainly appears that way. Careful of the hearts about you, charismatic one."

"You worry I'll steal Vladik's spotlight?"

Selene stared in astonishment, her expression uncharacteristically open. Could the Beastmaster be teasing? She could not possibly be that obtuse…

Then comprehension dawned over the handsome face and Selene very nearly rolled her eyes as Ingle stopped in her tracks and turned to her brand-new lover.

It had been decades since Kamryn had felt jealousy and it made her feel like a child. What on earth was the matter with her? Caught up in her thoughts, she walked right into Ingle's chest, jumping back in surprise and thumping her head on Taren's hard saddle. There was a strange look in Ingle's shadowy eyes. A thoughtful, intent look that was as sensual as it was intimidating. "I have been neglecting you, lover. Will you walk with me? I miss your presence."

Still rattled by the intensity of her feelings, Kamryn threaded her arm through Ingle's offered one, feeling the spectacular bracer beneath the chimera hide. They walked quietly behind the others, catching bits and pieces of what Leyva was saying.

There was the Craftsman Ring with its eight wings like the spokes of a great wheel behind an imposing, open-slat fence. At the base of the cliff, directly beneath the Heart Crystal, lay the Heart Ring. It was a smaller arena with a fluttering tent roof and behind it was a big building in the shape of a chevron. There was no fence, but a vast disk of terra cotta tiles that were fitted together so carefully not even a blade of grass dared peek through.

"It was the only orange I would tolerate," Leyva explained when Path expressed amazement at the tiles. Beyond that was the yellow-painted Beast Ring with its eight slender towers and narrow stables between them making a familiar circle. The sound of cattle and horses and all manner of creature was a counterpoint to the sounds of the night. Two half-moon buildings bracketed the Brown Arena and additional beast pens flared out from its far side. For long moments Ingle stared off in the direction of the fenced creatures and seemed to smell the air. Frightful landed soundlessly on her shoulder and Taren and Serulos stood close by in a supportive silence. It was like watching a waiting predator and her companions enjoyed the unconscious spectacle. Then Ingle abruptly shrugged it off and Frightful complained mildly. Ruffling the little falcon's feathers, she turned to the others again.

"Fish?"

That made them laugh.

 

++

 

Within the circle of the Purple Ring lay the inn known as the Purple Bloom. It stood a full three stories tall with four wings a story smaller pointing to the compass points. Hundreds of torches and lightcrystals lit up the delightful chaos so characteristic of most t'skrang. The inn had been painted every shade of purple to resemble the delicate coloring of the characteristic flowers that bloomed only once a year among the everliving reeds of House V'strimon. Kamryn indulged in the bittersweet feel of the place. 

Leyva was delighted that the small woman recognized what the painter had been trying to portray. "Gallan will be so very pleased that you appreciate his efforts."

Inside the Purple Bloom the chaos was even more apparent.

"Doesn't anyone ever sleep in this place?" Selene queried and Leyva grinned.

"Not really. There's always food to be cooked and things to be built and items to sell. While more activity goes on in the daylight, the Heart Crystal ensures that we can function at all hours. I prefer the darkness, such as it is."

They murmured agreement as Leyva led them to an enormous eating room. Ione begged off to return to her duties as a friendly t'skrang dressed in impeccable whites approached.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, may I seat you?"

The employee was good; they almost missed the pointed look flashed at the animals with the tall elf. With a sigh Ingle sent Frightful and Serulos outside to wait and silently promised them food very soon. That taken care of, the server led them to an elegant stairwell and they began to climb. The Bloom was a grand place, full of sparkling crystals, some glowing, some not, carved woods and elegantly laid stone. About half the population moving about was t'skrang, while the rest were a mixture of all the other Name-Giver races. A few noted Kamryn's V'strimon colors, but the woman had carefully concealed all evidence of her connections to their brethren. As they briefly saw the second level on their way up, the party took notice of the height and breadth of the doorways and ceilings. Even trolls and obsidiman would be comfortable here. There were also comfortable seating arrangements on raised platforms for the windling patrons.

"With only a bit of effort," their server explained gently, "all can be catered to."

On the third floor was a truly opulent dining room that was mostly empty this time of night. With an imperious snap the waiter sent three youths scrambling to a table with no chairs. From carefully disguised cabinets in the walls, the youths drew contraptions of wood strips. With a flick of the wrist they miraculously unfolded into sturdy chairs that were set around a large table after having cushions knotted to back and seat. They preened like shy adolescents when the Adepts smiled in appreciation at the expert performance. They were each directed to a seat with a respectful gesture even though it was mostly obvious where each was supposed to sit. One chair was higher in the back for the taller elf while another had an ingenious 'c' shaped back that allowed Vladik to sit with ease.

"Goodness," the Troubadour praised. "Even at House V'strimon my tail wasn't catered to with such elegant efficiency! No offense Kamryn."

Swallowing a strange case of nerves, Kamryn waved him off. "None taken."

"We have fifteen varieties of folding chairs here sir," the server interjected smoothly. "We can sit anyone of any size without embarrassing anyone. Orders for duplicates of them have been steadily increasing with time. We're running out of craftsmen who know how to construct them."

While she chuckled on the last statement, they realized how true it was. One of the greatest trials the largest and smallest of the Name-Givers had was being comfortable in a world not sized for them. Six large menus were produced from a pocket at the edge of the table and the server told them the day's specials. After ordering, they chatted among themselves and admired the view.

"Leyva, do you have any idea what that storm was last night? I've never seen anything like it."

While in the half-dark outside none of them could see the pale elf clearly, now was not the case. Deep, forest green eyes met Ingle's silver gaze and platinum blonde brows knitted in consternation.

"I have a few ideas, but nothing concrete. They occur only here near the Lahala's Hand and strike randomly without warning. The lightning rods were the only things Raithen and I could come up with to protect visitors. Though last night's was just about the worst I've seen."

"Well, the lightning rods did their jobs nicely. I'm just glad there were no flash floods," Path added. There was definitely something odd going on with their party mate and this striking woman. The green eyes took a long moment to shift to him and Leyva acted as though nothing had kept her attention pinned on Ingle for rather longer than she wanted to admit to.

"There's little danger of that. The local elementals assisted Carithan in flattening the whole area and creating runoff channels to divert water away from the Arena."

"Carithan?" Vladik asked in confusion and earned a low chuckle.

"Our old friend's grandson. Lovely young man, the spitting image of his grandsire up to and including his choice of Elementalist. Johuda will be horrified that the tales she's told haven't reached your ears. She's his best friend and a Troubadour. While they didn't adventure for terribly long, they did make several grand accomplishments."

Two t'skrang and a dwarf arrived with food and drink to interrupt the conversation. After weeks of trail cooking, broken only by their brief stay at House V'strimon, it was pure bliss to They Travel By Night. For Kamryn, it was a taste of home that soothed her soul and stomach. There was light wine and excellent ale, crusty bread and the indescribable fish that the t'skrang were so famous for. And lots of it. Despite their time away from civilization, the younger Adepts ate neatly and politely. Leyva was impressed by their manners and intrigued by the contrast of the elder elf in their midst, for she did not quite fit with them.

Leyva used the meal as an excuse to take a closer look at them as individuals.

Charming young Vladik was the colors of House V'strimon, down to the purple eyes that matched the points on the tip of his jaunty crest and other strategic places. He wore a variety of Items Threaded into his True Pattern, as did all of them. Selene was a cool beauty with an exotic cast to her moonlit skin that Leyva could not identify, but there was something strangely familiar about her looks. Though she did recognize the exotic seal hide the dark haired elf was wearing and it made her curious as to its origins. Sandy haired Path-of-Stars watched everything closely with his summer-blue eyes in that way so characteristic of Scouts. He kept close to Selene and Leyva realized that they were bonded in more than magic and adventuring. As were Ingle and the nameless brunette elf. It was difficult not to stare at the tattoo of the leaping panther on Ingle's face. It looked so real Leyva had to wonder if an Illusionist had created it. There was a tiny patterns of ritual scarring like cheetah spots radiating out from the corner of the left eye to vanish into the ragged sunshine hair. More of the tiny marks made a shadowy outline around the panther curled halfway around the left eye. Aware of the scrutiny, they each met Leyva's eye and then returned to their food.

"There's a wonderful tailor in the Red Ring that recently received some fine cloths from Travar. Would you like me to have someone wake you before dusk so that you may see more of the Arena?"

Self-consciously, they looked down at their travel-worn clothing and then at one another sheepishly. Even with the effort the guardsmen had made, their gear was threadbare.

"You know," Ingle intoned dryly. "If even I realize we look bad, it must be terrible indeed."

Laughter erupted from the boys and the spellcasters grinned. 

"Yes Leyva, that would be wonderful. Is there also an armorer and a perhaps a Weaponsmith? We are in dire need of repair."

The tattered patches on all four suits of armor had been noted already, some of them fairly old. What had kept these four accomplished young Adventurers from having someone repair their Items? They gave the impression as being more responsible than that. While she was curious, Leyva did not press for an explanation just yet. There would be time enough later. 

If only she knew how closely her thoughts paralleled Kamryn's.

"There is everything you require here. I can put you up in the administrative chevron for as long as you like. Generally the more powerful Adepts stay there. If not, there are nice rooms here for a fee."

After they ate, Leyva insisted this first meal was on her and begged off to return to her duties. Her promise to find them again soon was no Illusion, for she was fascinated by much in the group. The Warrior's mystery, what had happened to They Travel By Night, and the tattooed Beastmaster.

The kitchens were happy to provide succulent meat scraps that Huff, Serulos and Frightful tore into greedily. There were people on hand in the yellow Beast Ring that provide fresh grain and green hay for only a few coppers. By the time Taren and Zoya had bolted down the grain and half a bale of hay between them, Selene began to look tired. Without comment on the Illusionist's state, they bought a few nights of boarding for the mounts and set off for Green Ring where they had begun their adventure at the Arena.

Ingle took great pleasure in tapping Brijova on the shoulder and when he turned, punching him in the chest hard enough to rock him back on his heels. Their combined laughter shook the rafters. The grizzled old ork made the striking young elf promise she would go drinking with him one night soon and she readily agreed.

It was not yet midnight, and the adventurers were not quite ready to sleep. So they found a sprawling common room on the west side of the round building and sprawled out amidst the heavy, comfortable furniture. 

"I like this place," Ingle commented quietly as Kamryn sprawled out beside her and put booted feet on the low table. "There's something almost comforting about it. A feeling of family, but of excitement too."

"A little bit of everything must pass through here," Vladik mused. "And there are Adepts of high Disciplines as well. I'll bet that each of us could find a teacher."

"And be a teacher," Path added quietly and that made them all think about the possibilities. "At worst, there will be Adepts of higher rank that will probably trade services."

Vladik just could not stop himself, firing the Beastmaster a sly look. "I can think of a certain administrator that would love to trade 'services'."

This time, even Kamryn had to smile at the Beastmaster's long-suffering look. "It's not my fault I'm irresistible," she drawled wryly and the others laughed. Kamryn snuggled up to her side, pressing a kiss to the ritually scarred cheek.

"That you are."

 

++

 

The Green Ring was the public areas, meaning it was usually the place that newcomers began, and dealt the most with outside matters. There was a respectable library, a bank wedged in between the security barracks where They Travel By Night had begun and public forge with walls like a fortified castle. There were diplomats, healers, scribes and sages in an enormous, comfortable room facing the great plain to the north. Above the massive common room where they had snacked before dawn, there were hundreds of rooms on the second floor, except for where a sprawling shade garden invited rest and romance.

But it was the central courtyard that was a sight to behold. Twelve perfect little round houses were evenly spaced around the courtyard, nearly pressed against the ring's inner wall. Each of them was lovingly decorated and dressed after each of the Passions.

Even the Mad Ones.

They Travel By Night shared long looks after eyeing the silent, dark huts for Dis, Raggok and Vestrial. It was a sobering reminder that the Scourge had damaged more than just Name-Givers. It had altered the very ideals that the Passions embodied. Despite the discomfort of looking upon the shrines of the Mad Passions, the Adepts could not help but admire the even-handed decision to represent all. There was a pond in the center of the little houses, with a sprawling lawn to invite a leisurely stroll. Four narrow foot bridges radiated out from the island in the center, following the four cardinal directions. There was dais there, with a raised pedestal bearing words.

Curious, Kamryn switched to her magician's Astral Sight, and was stunned by the power of the Thread Magic woven in this place. Much of it came from the pedestal, where Selene was reading the words carved into the shining, unadorned marble. 

"Welcome to the Arena of Learning. All that are peaceful are welcome here, for we are all bound together. Here we practice the ideals of society and individualism. Share what you will, learn what you will." The Adepts smiled at the sentiment, and the evidence of a healthy population, both in body, mind and heart. "I have to admit that this place is growing on me as well."

A Questor of Astendar called out to the two couples, walking hand in hand, encouraging them to come to the little shrine and leave and offering. Grinning suggestively, Ingle strengthened her grip on Kamryn, leading the mildly reluctant Warrior-Wizard-Boatman to the shrine of art, music and love stood invitingly.

The little house was voluptuous, sweet with flowers and incense, thick with luxurious rugs and pillows. "Never had anyone to do this with," Ingle murmured, sweeping her small lover into her arms and kissing her deeply. Not to be outdone, Selene led an unresisting Path-of-Stars into the space and indulged in a semi-public display of affection that had Questors and Vladik alike crowing for more. Selene let a disheveled Path up for air, before firing Ingle a smug look and sashaying from Astendar's shrine. The human flashed his elven companions a wry look and raked hands through his hair. He looked startled, happy and completely, utterly under his woman's spell. 

"Told you you'd be good for us, Wizard."

Kamryn could only laugh, fishing around her pockets until she came up with a handful of mixed coppers and silver. Two of the silvers bore the mark of her Artisan Skill, and those were left where others could see. The mundane money was negligently tossed into a coffer, joined there by other's offerings. Ingle found three little wooden carvings that she made in such abundance; a crow, a howling dog and a strange little coiled beast that Kamryn laughed to realize was a defensive millipede. Vladik sang with the Questors, to their delight, while Selene and Path found paints laying out and left their combined, colorful effort on the wall, atop countless layers left before them.

Enjoying the recreation, the Heroes visited each shrine, leaving an offering or interacting with the Questors if there were any in. 

There was an event being prepared in the Rainbow Pavilion, and it seemed to be the focus of the bulk of the Arena's population.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note May 16, 2014: Regrettably, it has become apparent to me that it is unlikely that I will return to this story. That said, I can tell you that there is a nasty final showdown with Silver-Tounged as the Horror has found a way to smuggle itself into the protective dome of The Arena. After that would have been a fade to black as the adventurers went on to do what adventurers do. And who knows? These muses may pop up again one day and write out the battle, but I did not want these words to languish any longer. Thank you for reading.


End file.
